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AELIAN

he. ON THE CHARACTERISTICS
ib ~ OF ANIMALS

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BOOKS I~—V_

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“AELIA Na

ON THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF ANIMALS ,

WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
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CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION .

SUMMARY

PROLOGUE

BOOK I

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Sa I EO RATED ROTO IESE SCNT

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PREFACE

NINETY-THREE years have elapsed since Aelian’s De
natura animalium was edited for the Teubner series
by Rudolf Hercher. His text was a revision of that
which he had published six years earlier, in 1858,
in the Didot series. Both these books have long
been out of print and almost unobtainable. In one
respect the Teubner edition is inferior to its pre-
decessor, since the editor gives no more than a bare
‘Index mutationum praeter codices factarum’
without specifying which ‘ codices ᾿ he has used, and
those who are concerned to know how he explains
or defends some of his frequent desertions of the
manuscripts must still turn to the preface and the
‘ Adnotatio critica’ of the Didot edition. It was
Hercher’s service to have detected the prevalence
of glosses and interpolations, although in expelling
them he is conscious that some will think that he has
exceeded all bounds (Didot ed., Praef. p. ii). The
text here printed is substantially that of Hercher’s
edition of 1864, and divergences from it are shewn
in the critical notes, which lay no claim to be ex-
haustive. In 1902 E. L. De Stefani made a survey
of the manuscripts in Continental libraries! and

1 The British Museum Burney MS 80 contains only excerpts —
in a 16th-cent. hand; there is no MS of the NA in Bodley or
in the Cambridge University Library, and I have not sought

farther afield.

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PREFACE

established their relations. It is to be regretted
that no one has yet come forward to complete the
task which he began and to provide a fresh text,
with an adequate critical apparatus.

In rendering the names of Aelian’s birds and
fishes I have taken as my guides the two Glossaries
of Sir D’Arcy Thompson, one of Greek Birds (2nd
ed., 1936), the other of Greek Fishes (1947.) Botanical
terms are those given on the authority of Sir William
Thiselton-Dyer in the ninth edition of Liddell and
Scott’s Greek Lewicon. In identifying Aelian’s
reptiles and insects the various articles contributed,
jointly or separately, by H. Gossen and A. Steier,
by M. Wellmann apd others to Pauly-Wissowa’s
Real-Encyklopadie have been of service. In 1935
Gossen published a systematic catalogue of all

Aelian’s animals, and perhaps Τ shall be blamed for

not following him more often than I have done. In
determining the modern equivalents and the
scientific nomenclature of the fauna and flora of
Ancient Greece the oracles do not always speak
with one voice, and the best that a layman can hope
for is that, when two or more interpretations have
presented themselves, the result. of his choice may
be judged, if not correct, at any rate excusable.

My thanks are due to those who have kindly
solved for me various problems that arose in the

-eourse of my work: to Professor H. W. Bailey,

Professor W. I. B. Beveridge, Professor F. E.
Fritsch (+), Dr. Ὁ. A. Parry, Dr. M. G. M. Pryor,
Dr. G. Salt, Mr. A. F. Huxley, Mr. J. E. Raven.
But my heaviest obligations are to Mr. A. 5. F. Gow,
who read considerable portions of my translation in

typescript, saved me from more blunders than I care

Vili

PREFACE

to think of, and besides improvin | i

a number of corrections τ the at
have gladly and gratefully adopted. The Syndics of
the Cambridge University Press have courteousl
allowed me to reproduce two passages from an editi
of Nicander published by them in 1953. ks

Cambridge, A. Ἐ 5.

ες 1957.

INTRODUCTION

Life | ᾿ς

“ΤῊΝ life of Aelian has been sketched by his con-
temporary Flavius Philostratus (Qnd—3rd cent. a.p.)
in his Leves of the Sophists (2. 31), and he is the
subject of a brief notice in ‘Suidas.’ Claudius
Aelianus was born at Praeneste about the year
a.p. 170. He came of lbertus stock and assumed the
name of Claudius. At Rome he studied under
Pausanias of Caesarea, a noted rhetorician and pupil
of Herodes Atticus for whom Aelian reserved his
chief admiration. Although a Roman, as he himself
is proud to assert (VH 12. 25; 14. 45), he obtained
such a mastery of the Attic idiom that he came to be
known as ‘the honey-tongued or honey-voiced,’
while his success as a declaimer was rewarded by
the bestowal of the title of Sophist. (By the end of
the second century the term had ceased to bear any
philosophical implications and had come to denote
one who taught or practised rhetoric.) Neverthe- _
less, mistrusting, it may be, his ability to maintain
his hold over pupils and audiences—for the demands
on a successful rhetorician were heavy—he devoted
himself to the writing of ‘ history" (τῷ ξυγγράφειν
ἐπέθετο, Phil.). He held the office of ἀρχιερεύς
presumably at Praeneste, but the greater part of
his time must have been spent in Rome, where he
had access to libraries and enjoyed the patronage of

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INTRODUCTION

the empress Julia Domna, who had gathered around
her on the Palatine a circle of learned men that
included Oppian, Serenus Sammonicus, Galen,
Philostratus, and others who figure in the Deipno-
sophists of Athenaeus.* It was his boast that he had
never been outside Italy, had never been aboard a
ship, and knew nothing of the sea—statements
which most readers will find no difficulty in accept-
ing.2 He was over sixty years of age when he died,
unmarried. 7

Works

Besides the De natura animalium (to give it the
name by which it is commonly referred to) two
other works by Aelian have survived — Ἐπιστολαὶ
ἀγροικίαι, a literary exercise in the form of twenty-
four letters, vignettes of life in the country, some
with an erotic motive; and Ποικίλη ἱστορία (Varia
historia) in fourteen books, beginning with some
chapters on natural history, but consisting in the
main of anecdotes historical and biographical, with
excursions into mythology, and_a variety of other
topics. The greater part as we have it seems to be
from the hand of an epitomator. It resembles the
De natura animalium in its deliberate avoidance of
any systematic order. Fragments of two treatises,
Περὶ προνοίας and Περὶ θείων ἐναργειῶν have been

1 J. Bidez in Camb. Anc. Hist. 12. 613; see also Wellmann . -

in Hermes 51. 1.
"2 The words ἐθεασάμην ἐν τῇ πόλει τῇ ᾿Αλεξανδρέων (NA
11. 40) occur in a chapter borrowed wholly from Apion, and
Wellmann (RE 1. 486) considers that Aelian is simply tran-
scribing his authority. Μ. Croiset (Hist. de la lit. gr. 5. 774)
demurs to this view; his explanation seems to me uncon-
vincing. | : ᾿
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INTRODUCTION

preserved, most of them in ‘ Suidas.’ So far as we
can judge they were collections of stories illustratin
heaven 5 retribution on unbelievers. Aelian has ane
bitter words for the scepticism of the Epicureans:
A bare mention is enough for two sets of epigrams
sae See agin on ‘herms’ of.Homer and
enander which are i
Aelian’s house at oo ° od ὑῶν
‘The De natura animahum is a miscellany of facts:
genuine or supposed, gleaned by Aeclian from earlier
and contemporary Greek writers (no Latin writer
is once named) and to a limited extent from his own
observation to illustrate the habits of the animal
world. We are of course prepared to encounter
much that modern science rejects, but the general
tone with its search. after the picturesque, the
startling, even the miraculous, would justify ‘us in
ranking Aelian with the Paradoxographers rather
than with the sober exponents of Natural History
Mythology, mariners’ yarns, vulgar superstitions,
the ascertained facts of nature—all serve to adorn a
tale and, on occasion, to point a moral. His religion
is the popular Stoicism of the age: Aelian repeatedl
affirms his belief in the gods and in divine Prout:
dence; the wisdom and beneficence of Nature are:
held up to veneration; the folly and selfishness of
man are contrasted with the untaught virtues of the
animal world. Some animals, to be sure, have their
failings, but he chooses rather to dwell upon their
good qualities, devotion, courage, self-sacrifice
gratitude. Again, animals are guided by Reason:
and from them we may learn contentment, control

i See G. Kaibel, ed., Hpi . bas
conlecta (Berol. 1878), nos. 18. Graeca, ex lapidibus

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INTRODUCTION

of the passions, and calm in the face of death.
Suicide is commended as an escape from the ills of
life, and riches are to be despised. Aelian’s Stoicism
hardly goes below the surface. His primary object

is to entertain and while so doing to convey instruction

in the most agreeable form. He was among the

first to break away from the age-long tradition of
the periodic structure of sentences, at least for works

of a serious nature, and to affect a simpler prose of .

short, co-ordinated, sometimes paratactic, clauses.
In this. and in the rich variety of topics and in a
certain fondness for piquant, not to say earthy,
stories from the life of men and of animals one may
trace the influence of the Milesian Tales. Un-
fettered by any canons of style or language, pica-
yesque, and sometimes 70s; they pandered to
popular taste. To adopt their technique while
refining the style and imparting ἃ moral flavour to
his narratives may well have seemed to Aelian a
sure way of gaining a like popularity with educated
readers: Some might find fault with his random
and piece-meal handling of his theme—of that he is
well aware, and in the Epilogue he defends himself
with the plea that a frequent change of topic helps
to maintain the reader's interest and saves him
from boredom, But as to the permanent value of
his work he has no misgivings, and since. Philo-
stratus informs us that his writings were much
admired, we may assume that they appealed to

cultivated circles’ in a way that the voluminous ~

and possibly arid compilations of grammarians did
not.

1 See W. Schmid, Der Aiticismus, 3. 7 ff.

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INTRODUCTION

Sources

The principal sources of the De natura animalium
have been investigated by Max Wellmann and Rudolf
Keydell in a series of articles which appeared in the
journal Hermes between the years 1891 and 1937.
Here it will be enough to state their conclusions and
to indicate some of the reasons for them. |
᾿ That the name of Aristotle should occur over fift
times in a work professing to deal with animals vill
surprise no one. Yet it is certain that Aelian knew
Aristotle only at second hand through the epitome
of his zoological works made by Aristophanes of
Byzantium (8rd/2nd cent. B.c.). Even so there is
little enough of genuine descriptive zoology, and it
was not in any purely zoological work that Aelian
found his chief inspiration and guide. It is notice-
able how often his statements regarding the names
habits, and characteristics of animals reflect in their
manner of presentation, their content and style, the

comments of scholiasts and writers like Athenaeus
Clement of Alexandria, and Pollux, who took their
materials from grammarians. It became a manner-
ism with the scholars of Alexandria to cite Homer
whenever it was possible, and Aelian follows the
fashion, less (so it would seem) with an aim to estab-
lishing some fact of natural history than to provin

Homer's knowledge of the science. Specimens of
grammarian’s lore meet us in the excursions into
etymology and lexicography, in the myths and pro-
verbs relating to animals, with their illustrations
from dramatists and poets, and in a wealth of other
matter which a professed zoologist would disregard
as being irrelevant. Aelian is not, like Athenaeus,

NPD aR HIE HY ASIEN EET REESE ELEMENTAL DOT Ὁ

INTRODUCTION

scrupulous in always naming his authorities, as we |

shall see later, but from parallel passages in other
writers ranging from Plutarch and Athenaeus down
to the Geoponica (5th cent. a.D.) in which Pamphilus

” ig expressly named as being the source, Wellmann

concludes that the pattern and the chief source for
Aelian was Pamphilus of Alexandria. He in his
turn had based his work upon that most voluminous
of grammarians Didymus, nicknamed Χαλκέντερος,
excerpting and abridging into one work a number
of separate treatises by his forerunner.! The title
of the work is given by ‘ Suidas’ as Λειμών, and he
adds ἔστι δὲ ποικίλων περιοχή. Tt must have been
a miscellany of ample scope embracing mythology,
natural history, and paradoxa or ‘tales of wonder,
historical and biographical notices, all derived from
earlier Greek literature. In a number of places
Aelian has grouped together, more or less closely,
chapters derived from one and the same authority :
thus, 12. 16-20 come from Democritus; 4. 19, 21,
96-7, 32, 36, 41, 46, 52 from Ctesias; 16. 9-22, from
Megasthenes ; 17. 31-4 from Amyntas. From this
++ would seem that his exemplar was arranged partly
by animals and partly by authors. a
Aelian has given us accounts of over one hundred
birds. Many of his accounts correspond with. those
which we find in Athenaeus ((9. 3878-397c), but since
Aelian is generally more detailed, the resemblances

are to be traced to the use of a common source. For

Athenaeus the principal authority on birds was ‘ that
best of all ancient ornithologists, Alexander the

1 Wellmann detects a hidden allusion to its title in some

words of Aelian’s Epilogue, οἱονεὶ λειμῶνά τινα ἢ στέφανον

Ἁ

. φήθην δεῖν τήνδε . «. διαπλέξαι τὴν συγγραφήν.

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INTRODUCTION

Myndian, 1 whom he cites more often than am
other writer on natural history, Aristotle ane
excepted, viz. thirteen times in Book IX and four
times elsewhere. Photius describes him as havin
collected ‘ a multitude of marvellous, even incredible,
tales from earlier writers touching animals trees,
places, rivers, plants, and the like.’ 3 Relian πάγος
him five times, and in a chapter (8. 23) relating to
storks and their transformation into human beings |
takes occasion to praise his knowledge and to express
his own belief in the story. It is not stretching
probability to see in Alexander the source for Acneae
accounts of similar transformations (e.g. 1.1; 5. 1;
15. 29), and for much besides, whether of fact oF
fable, regarding birds, their assignment to special
gods (1. 48; 2. 32; 4.29; 10. 34-5; 12.4; andc
Ath. 9.388a), their significance as omens (3. 9; 10.
34,37; and ep. Plut. Marius 17, Artem. Onezr. 2. 66).
Nevertheless since Athenaeus and Aelian concur ἃ
misrepresenting him on the spelling of σκώψ, it ma
be questioned whether they had direct access to his |

᾿ς writings and whether their common error is not due

to Pamphilus; see note on Ael. 15 i
description of the κατώβλεπον (7. 5) a differ
from the account given by Alexander in Ath. 5
2218. _
Among ancient writers who treated of poi
and their antidotes the principal cheney sin
Apollodorus (8rd cent. B.c.). Two of his works or
the essence of them, survive in the poems of Nicander
But though Aelian on seven occasions adduces
Nicander 85 witness, there are discrepancies which

1 Ὁ, W. Thompson, Glossar ek bi i .
; y of Greek birds, p. vi.
2 Fragments collected by Wellmann in H Ὁ ἐν 26. 546-55.

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INTRODUCTION

preclude the idea of a direct use of the poet. There |
are however indications that Aelian and the scholia

to Nicander drew from a common source. — Aelian
states (9. 26) that the Agnus-castus, an antidote to

snakebites, was used at the Thesmophoria to ensure ©

< ; age In
hastity: the same note occurs in 2 Nic. T h. 7 1. ὶ
9. 20 Aelian states on the authority of ‘ Aristotle

᾿ (Mirab. 841 a 97) that the ‘ Pontic stone’ if burnt ex-

nakes: Σ Nic. Th. 45 cite the same passage. In
BI Sostratus,’ we are told, ‘ describes the Dipsas
as white. Here Aelian has forsaken Apollodorus-
Nicander, who had written (Th. 337) ὑποζοφόεσσα
ἐλαίνεται, and he then proceeds to tell the myth
of the Dipsas and the Ass, adding that it has been
treated by Sophocles (and other poets): Σ Nic. Th.
343 state specifically ‘ Sophocles ev Kwdois.’ (Clearly
Σ did not borrow from Aelian.) The story of the
Beaver and its self-mutilation is told by Aelian (6.
34); it is mentioned in Σ Nic. Th. 565, and Sostratus
is named. as the authority for it. From Ael. 4. 51
and 6. 37 we learn the difference between olorpos
and μύωψ : according to & Ap. Rh. 1. 1265 and &
Theoc. 6. 28 the distinction was first noted by
Sostratus, though Aelian is the first to mention it.
It seems then that Sostratus in his two works Περὶ
βλητῶν καὶ δακετῶν and Περὶ ζῴων treated of
insects as well as the lower animals and snakes. As
a zoologist his reputation stood next to Aristotle,
and we are justified in assuming that both for Aelian
and for the scholiast on Nicander he was the source
for more than they have openly acknowledged, in
the case of Aelian for 1. 20-22; 6. 36-8; 9. 99;

0. 44: 12. 8.
᾿ ‘Aelian has much to tell us of elephants, both

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INTRODUCTION

those of Libya and of India. Like Pliny (ΗΝ 8.
1-34) before him and like Plutarch in his De
sollertia animalium, Aelian has drawn extensively
upon Juba II, King of Mauretania (c. 50 B.c.-c.
Α.Ὁ. 23). He was the first to maintain that the
elephant’s tusks are horns and not teeth, and Aelian
follows him (8.10; 11.15; 14.5). And since we learn
from Pliny (ΠΝ 5. 16) that he wrote about the Atlas
mountains and their forests, he is a likely source for
all that Aelian relates touching Mauretania, its
people, and its animals. The chapters on pearls
(15. 8) and on Indian ants (16. 15) are to be traced -
to Juba’s work De expeditione Aralica.

The knowledge which Aelian displays of Egypt and
its topography, its local traditions, customs, and
religious beliefs, especially those relating to birds
and animals, can come only from a writer well
acquainted with the land and its people. We are
given mystical and mythological reasons for the
reverence or detestation in which certain creatures
are held (10. 19, 21, 46); there are tales of wonder
ranging from the merely curious to the impossible; _
quotations from Homer are introduced into chapters
on Egyptian religion. The pattern fits Apion (Ist
cent. a.D.). Born in the Great Oasis, he became head
of the Alexandrian school, was a Homeric scholar
and a pretender to omniscience. His Aegypiaca
was a compilation dealing with the history and the
marvels of Egypt and was based upon earlier writers
with additions from his own experience. One such
there is which ‘ every schoolboy knows,’ the story of
Androcles and the Lion (Ael. 7. 48).1 Chapters on

1 A, Gellius 5.14 [Apion] Hoe .

. . ipsum sese in urbe Roma
vidisse oculis suis confirmat. |

ΧΙΧ

INTRODUCTION
Ael. 9.35 depth of the sea Opp. 1. 83-92
38 fish in the depths 145-54
36 Exocoetus 155-67
41 Mussels 174-8 |
2.15 Pilot-fish 186-211
17 Remora 212-43
9,43 Crabs 285-304
45 Octopus and fruit-trees 308-11
47 Sea-urchin 318-19
7.31 Hermit-crabs 320-37
9,34 Nautilus 338-59
49 Sea-monsters 360-72
1.55 Sharks 373-82
9.50 Sea-calf, Whale, Sea 398-408
52 Flying fishes 427-37
53 fish gregarious 440-45
57 fish in winter and spring 446-72
63 generation of fish 473-501
6.28 generation of Octopus 536-53
9,66 Moray and Viper 554-79
10.2 period of procreation 584-90
4.9 migration to the Huxine 598-611
10.8 Dolphin and young 660-85
1.17 Dog-fish and young 734-41
16 ‘ Blue-fish ’ and young 747-55
2.22 Sprats : 767-97 |

In three of the above passages there can be little
doubt that Aelian has paraphrased Oppian: compare
Ael. 9. 38 with Opp. 1. 145-52

398-408
427-37.

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ὅδ .»

In both we find the same fishes in the same order,
and, what is most significant, since a prose-writer is

not bound by the exigences of metre, the same use ~

now of the singular, now of the plural. These three
chapters cannot be separated from the other four-
teen, so that it is at least likely that they too are
paraphrases of Oppian. Of the remaining nine

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INTRODUCTION

passages some may have been derived from Oppian
others more probably from a common source.

One such source was Leonidas of Byzantium.}
From him Aelian derived the story of the friendship
between a boy and a dolphin at Poroselene (2. 6),
which recurs in Oppian (5. 448-518). In 2. 8 Aelian
tells how dolphins help men in the catching of other
fish, and a similar account is given by Oppian (5. 425~
AT): it is probable that both drew upon Leonidas.
A comparison of Aelian’s two chapters on poisonous
fishes, 2. 44 and 50 (where Leonidas is named),
with Opp. 2. 422-505 points certainly to him as their
common source. Other passages indicate despite
differences that both made use of the same authority
whether Leonidas or some other: compare | _

Ael.1.4 with Opp. 3. 323-6
5 (τρώκτης) > 144-8 (dpia)
19 5 2. 141-66
27 55 241-6
30 “a 128-40.

The researches of Leonidas extended as far as the
Red Sea (Ael. 3. 18). For information on fishes in
western waters Aelian relied upon one Demostratus
who differs from Leonidas in being independent of
any Aristotelian tradition and in concentrating upon
paradoxa. To him Wellmann would attribute the
accounts contained in Ael. 13. 23; 15. 9, 12; per-

1 Keydell (Hermes 72. 430 ff.) puts the date of Leonidas in
the 2nd cent. 4.D. Leonidas ig coporied as having himself
seen the boy and dolphin; Pausanias (3. 25. 7) also was a
witness, and Oppian says that the memory of the event is still
fresh, for it happened ‘ not long ago but in our own generation,’
the last quarter of the 2nd century. Granting that it ig

incredible that the boy rode °
tale may well be pes upon the dolphin, the rest of the

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INTRODUCTION

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From these De Stefani selected seven only as possess- |

ing value for the constitution of the text, viz. A, F,
H, L, P, V, and W, the remainder being copies of one
or other of those seven. |

EDITIONS

1556 C. Gesner (Zurich, F°). Ed. pr.

1611 P. Gillius and C. Gesner (Geneva, 16°).
1744 Abraham Gronovius (London, 4°).
1784 J. E. 6. Schneider (Leipzig, i
1832 C. F. W. Jacobs (Jena, 8°).

1858 RB. Hercher (Didot, Paris, la. 8°).

1864 R. Hercher (Teubner, Leipzig, 8°).

Gesner provided a parallel Latin translation which —

was later revised by A. Gronovius and was reprinted
‘n all editions down to 1858. The only translation
into a modern language that I know of (but have not
seen) is the German version by Jacobs (Stuttgart,
1839-42). Gossen in 1935 announced that he had
ready for press a fresh translation equipped with full
notes, indexes, etc., but I have not been able to

trace it.

CriTIciIsM
Cobet (C. G.). Novae lectiones (p. 780). Leyden,
1858.
Variae lectiones, ed. 2 (pp- 131, 209, 341). 10.,
1873.
ΧΧΥΪ

INTRODUCTION

Cobet (C. G.). Aeliani locus [NA 1. 30 ,
ye ἡ ποπιῦε. 7 (1868) 340. i aaaae Sa
e locis nonnullis apud A. Jb. N.S. 12 (1884) 433
Baehrens (W. A.). Vermischte eras he gr.
u. lat. Sprache [NA 7. 8]. Glotta 9 (1918) 171.
De Stefani (E. L.). 1 manoseritti della Hist. Animal.
di Eliano. Studs ital. di filol. class. 10 (1902) 175.
Per l' Epitome Aristotelis De animalibus di Aristofane —
di Bizanzio. Jb. 12 (1904) 421. |
ἐν ὦν ΤῊ i (δον de gaa animal de |’ Inde
chez Palladius. [See NA 5. 3.] 8 ion 4
(1927-8) 34. | etal
μὰ “Ὁ [ΠΣ τὰ Tiernamen in A’s... II. €.
uellen u. Stud. z. Gesch. d. Naturni
- ει d. rari 4 (1935) 280. τόν ὧι
rasberger (L.). Zur Kritik des A. Jb. 7.
, ia? (1867) 185. ere
aupt .). Conjectanea [NA 2. 22].
5 (1871) 321. ! oe
Pers τὰ 4 (1870) 342. ,
ercher (R.). Zu A.’s Thiergeschichte.
164) 148 geschichte. Philol. 9
Zu A.’s Thiergeschichte. Jb. f. οἱ Phi
rr aa f. class. Philol. Τὶ
“Sean Philol. 10 (1855) 344.
nterpolationen bei A. Jb. f. class.
(ieee) 177 f. class. Philol. 72
u griech. Prosaikern. Hermes 11 (1876) 223
Kaibel (G.). [A. and Callimach
ΠΣ [ limachus.| Hermes 28
Keydell (R.). Oppians Gedicht von der Fischerei u.
_A.’s Tiergeschichte. Hermes 72 (1937) 411.
Klein (J.). Zu A. [NA 6. 21, 46; 12. 33]. Rhein.
Mus. N.F. 22 (1867) 308. |

XXVil

INTRODUCTION | ᾿ INTRODUCTION
Meineke (A.). Zu griech. Schriftstellern [ΝᾺἅ 4. 12]. . Aristotle. Histori ba ca
| Hermie 3 (1868) 162. | , | Thome a ἐλ ae [trans.| by D. W.
Mentz (F.). Die klass. Hundenamen. Philol. 88 Keller (O.). Die antike Tiernel ;
(1933) 104, 181,415. > | 1909-13. “erwelt. 2 vols. Leipz.
Morel (W.). | Tologica. Philol. 83 (1928) 345. a Oppian . . . with an Engl. transl |
Radermacher (L.). Varia. Rhein. Mus. 51 (1896) . (Loeb Cl. Lib.) Lond a . by A. W. Mair.
463. a Radcliff ee ae | |
Zu Ieyllos von Epidavros. [NA 18. 1. Philol. Ὁ ee δ earliest times.
58 (1899) 314.. | | Saint-Deni ;
Roehl (H.). Zu A. [NA 11. 10]: Jb. f. class. © oe cea ee cee oe nie des animaux
Philol. 121 (1880) 378. ᾿ taires, 11.) Paris, 1947 s et commen-
Scott (J. A.). Mise. notes from A. Class. Jl. 24 ᾿ς ᾿ .
(1929) 374. ᾿ ' Abbreviations used in the critical notes
Schmid (W.). Der Atticismus . . . Vol. 3: Alian. . Cas[aubon, I.] ἜΣ .
ΓΑ detailed examination of A.’s vocabulary, | Ges[ner, (ἢ Soh ee F. van]
syntax, and style.] Stuttgart, 1893. : Gillfius, P.] ae 4 , J. G.]
Shorey (P.). An emendation of A. Il..¢. (NA 8. 1.] : Gron{ovius, A.] ae ve er, Otto]
Class. Philol. 3 (1908) 101. | : Hlercher, R.] . ἐξ : τωρ L. K.)
Thouvenin (P.). Untersuchungen iiber den Modus- ᾿ Hemstlerhusius, 1. ᾿ i Lent ach, D.]
gebrauch bei A. Philol, 54 (1895) 599. —— Jaclobs, C. F. W.) pe Py).
Venmans (L. A. W. C.). Lépdos. Mnemos. N.S. 58 ᾿ Mein{eke, 4.1 ἌΝ by].
(1930) 58. ᾿ π γ ἢ: Yy |.

Λευκοὶ μύρμηκες. 10. 918. ΝΣ
Wellmann (M.). Sostratos, ein Beitrag z. Quellen- |

analyse des A. Hermes 26 (1891) 321.

Alexander von Myndos. Tb. 481. ;

Juba, eine Quelle des A. Ib. 21 (1892) 389.

Leonidas von Byzanz und Demostratos.
(1895) 161.

Aegyptisches. Ib. 31 (1896) 221.

Pamphilos. 6.51 (1916) 1.

In addition to the works named in the Preface, I
should mention: |

| XXVill

xxix

AELIAN
ON THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF ANIMALS ὁ

ΠΕ

seebeiposiene ΡΥ, ΠΣ oe ΜΉΤΕ is

iia

sees

ἐρρρδ λει gin eisas hein chy iets ti
NOT UNA RES δον.

iss inte ter. rabid Lt = Shee sping’ ba νας eb aaa ted iat tadg om ight at
ΟΣ ΣΉ

SUMMARY

PROLOGUE

Boox I

1 The Birds of Diomede
2 The Parrot Wrasse
3 The Mullet
4 The‘ Anthias.’ The Parrot
Wrasse
5 The Gnawer and Dolphins
6 Animals in love with hu-
man beings
7 The Jackal
8 Nicias and his Hounds
9 The Drone
10 Servitors among Bees
11 Bees, their ages and habits
12 The Mullet, how caught
13 The ‘ Etna-fish,’ its con-
tinence
14 The Wrasse, its paternal
instincts
15 The Wrasse, how caught
16 The ‘ Blue-grey’ fish and
young.
17 The Dog-fish and young
18 The Dolphin and young
19 The Horned Ray
20 The Cicada
21 The Spider and its web
22 Ants observe a day of rest
23 The Sargue, how caught

24 Vipers and their mating

25 The Hyena

26 The Black Sea-bream
27 The Octopus

28 Wasps, how generated
29 The Owl

45 Vulture’s

30 The Basse and the Prawn

31 The Porcupine

32 Mutual hostility of certain
fishes .

33 The Moray

34 The Cuttlefish

35 Birds use charms against

sorcery

36 The Torpedo. The Hal-
eyon. Causes of numb-
ness

37 Protective and numbing
owers of certain herbs

38 (i) The Elephant, its love of

beauty and perfumes
(ii-iv) Various irritants

39 The Sting-ray, how caught

40 The Great Tunny

41 The ‘ Melanurus’

42 The Eagle, its keen sight

43 The Nightingale :

44 Cranes bring rain

feathers. The
Woodpecker

46 The Four-toothed Sparus -

47 The Raven’s thirst

48 The Raven in divination;
its eggs

49 The Bee-eater -

50 The Moray and the Viper ..

51 Snakes generated from
marrow of evil-doers .

52 The Swallow

63 The Goat, its breathing

54 Viper, Asp, etc., their bites
55 Sharks and Dog-fish

56 The Sting-ray

57 The Cerastes and the Psylli

SUMMARY

58 The enemies of Bees
59 A Bee-hive
60 The King Bee

Boox II

1 Cranes, their migration
2 * Fire-flies ’
3 The Swallow
4 ‘Ephemera.’
5 The Asp. The Basilisk
6 Dolphin and boy at Poro-
selene
7 The Basilisk
8 Dolphins help fishermen
9 Deer and Snakes
10 Mating of Mare and Ass
11 Performing Elephants
12 The Hare
13 Fishes and their leaders
14 The Chameleon
15 The Pilot-fish
16 The ‘ Tarandus’
17 The Sucking-fish
18 Medicine in the Heroic Age.
Elephants and _ their
wounds
19 The Bear and its cub
20 Oxen of Erythrae
91 Snakes of Ethiopia and
Phrygia
22 The Sprat
23 The Lizard, its vitality
24 The Asp. Human spittle
25 Ants store grain
26 The Eagle and nestlings
27 The Ostrich
28 The Bustard and Horses
29 The Fly
30 The Cockerel, and how to
keep him
31 The Salamander
32 The Swan and its song
33 The Crocodile
34 The Cinnamon bird
35 The Ibis and clysters
36 The Sting-ray

87 The Shrew-mouse

38 The Ibis

39 The Golden Hagle

40 The Eagle and its keepers

41 The Red Mullet

42 The Falcon

43 The Kestrel. Hawks and
their eyesight. Hawks
of Egypt

44 The Rainbow Wrasse

45 The Sea-hare

46 The Vulture. The ‘Aegy-
pius’

47 The Kite

48 Ravens of Egypt, of Libya

49 The Raven and its young

50 Poisonous fishes

51 The
voice, and diet

52 Viviparous animals

53 Hornless Cattle. Bees in
Scythia

54 The Parrot Wrasse

55 The Shark

56 The Mouseanditsliver. A
shower of Mice, of Frogs

57 The Ox, man’s benefactor

Boox Til

1 Lions of Mauretania
2 Horses of Libya. Hounds
of Crete and elsewhere
3 India devoid of Pigs
4 Ants of India
5 Tortoise and Snake. The
Pigeon, its conjugal fid-
elity. The Partridge, its
amorous nature
6 Wolves cross 8 river
7 Animal antipathies |
8 Mares and foais
9 The Crow, its conjugal
. fidelity. Owl and Crow
10 The Hedgehog
11 The Crocodile and Egyp-
tian Plover .

Raven, tits daring,

᾿

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SUMMARY

12 Jackdaws and Locusts

13 Cranes, their migration

14 Cranes give warning of
storms

15 The Pigeon

16 The Partridge and its
young

17 Jealousy in animals

18 The Inflater fish

19 The Seal

20 The Pelican. The Sea-

mew

21 A Bear and Lions

22 Ichneumon and Asp

23 Storks, their mutual affec-
tion; transformation in-
to human beings

94 The Swallow and its nest

25 The Swallow and its young

26 The Hoopoe —

27 No Lions in Peloponnese

28 The Perseus fish

29 The Pinna

30 The Cuckoo

31 The Cock feared by Basi-
lisk and Lion

32 Local peculiarities

33 The Asp. Nile water pro-
motes fertility in animals

34 A wonderful Horn

35 Partridges, their different
notes

86 The Grape-spider

37 Frogs in Seriphus

38 Local peculiarities

39 The Goatsucker

40 The Nightingale

41 The Unicorn’s horn

42 The Purple
Peacock

43 The Raven in old age

44 Ringdoves, their conjugal
fidelity

45 Pigeons and young; and
birds of prey

46 An Elephant and its keeper

47 Examples of incest

Coot. The |

Boox IV

1 The Partridge.
lovers
2 The Pigeons of Aphrodite
. at Eryx
3 Lion and Lioness
4 The Wolf
5 Animal enmities
6 The Horse
7 Example of animal incest
8 Groom in love with Mare
9 Fish in the mating season
10 Elephants worship the
Moon
i ᾿ ΤΣ Mare
© Partridge, its youn
13 The Pariidee, as inaa
14 Marten and Snake
15 The Wolf, when full-fed
16 The Partridge as decoy
17 The Hedgehog. The Lynx |
18 Objects poisonous to cer-
tain animals
19 The Indian Hound
20 Peculiarities of -various
creatures
a ae Mantichore
e power of human spittle
23 The Willow. The Boa
lock
24 The taming of Elephants
25 Oxen treading out the corn
26 Falconry in India
27 The Gryphons and the gold
of Bactria
28 The Turtle and its eyes
29 ‘The Cock and its crowing
30 The Jackdaw
31 The Elephant, its anatom
and habits

Cretan

32 The Goats and Sheep of

India
33 The Chameleon and Snakes
34 The Lion ;
35 The Ox and its memory
36 The Purple Snake of India

SUMMARY

37 The Ostrich

38 The Sparrow

39 The Fox and Wasps

40 The Dog

41 The ‘ Dikairon ἢ

42 The Francolin. The «
Guinea-fowl

43 The Ant. Greek festivals

44 Animals remember kind ᾿

actions
45 The story of a Lion, a Bear,
and a Dog
46 (i) The Lac insect
(ii) The Dog-heads
47 The Golden Oriole
48 How tocheck an angry Bull
49 The Leopard
50 The Horse, its eyelashes
51 The Gadfly. The Horse-fly
52 The Wild Ass of India
53 A calculating animal
54 Asp in love with a Goose-
herd
55 The Camel of Bactria
56 Seal in love with a Diver
67 The Water-snake, its bite
58 The Rock-dove. The
‘Circe’
59 The Biue-fowl
60 The Chaffinch

Boox V
1 The Ruff, the bird of Mem-
non
2 Crete hostile to Owls and
Snakes
3 A monstrous Snake in the
Indus

4 The Porpoise

5 The victorious Hen

6 A captured Dolphin

7 Monkey and Cats

8 Places hostile to certain
animals

9 The Cicadas of Locris and
Rhegium

10 Bees and their King
Il The King Bee. Character
of the Bee
12 The Bee, its industry
13 The Bee, its skill, its
colonies ; as weather-pro-
phet; its love of song
14 (i) Rats in Gyarus and
Teredon
(ii) Scorpions on mt Latmus
15 The King Wasp
16 The Wasp and its poison
17 The Fly .
18 The Great Sea-perch
19 Wolf and Bull
20 The Hake
21 The Peacock
22 Mouse saved from drown-

ing

23 The Crocodile

24 The Bustard

25 The Lamb

26 The Monkey

27 Peculiarities of certain ani-
mals

28 The Purple Coot

29 Geese in love with hu-
man beings. Geese and
Eagles

30 The Egyptian Goose

31 Anatomy of the Snake

32 The Peacock

33 The Duck

34 The Swan and death

35 The Heron and Oysters:

86 The ‘ Asterias’

37 The Torpedo. The Great
Weever

38 The Nightingale

39 The Lion

40 The Leopard

41 Ruminants and their sto-
machs. The Cuttle-fish

42 Bees: various kinds.

43 The ‘ Day-fly’

44 The Cuttle-fish .

45 The Wild Boar

=
x
᾿
=
. Se
᾿
3

"ESOT ReR snss οουνρα των ρον οὐρουνε δυο γος; λυλιοκήλημαβενόροω

SUMMARY

46 Nature’s medicines for ani-
mals

47 A Lizard regains its lost
sight

48 Animal friendships and

ες enmities .

49 Animals’ dislike of dead
bodies .

50 (i) Confidence and fear in

animals

(ii) Animals suckling their
young
51 Various sounds made by
animals
52 Reptiles foretell the Nile’s
. rise
53 The Hippopotamus
54 Leopard and Monkeys
55 The Elephant
56 Deer crossing the sea .

AIAIANOY
ΠΕΡῚ ΖΩΩΝ IAIOTHTO=

ΠΡΟΟΙΜΙΟΝ

\ \ / 4 ~
"AvOpwrov μὲν εἶναι σοφὸν καὶ δίκαιον καὶ τῶν.

οἰκείων παίδων προμηθέστατον, καὶ τῶν γειναμένων
ποιεῖσθαι τὴν προσήκουσαν φροντίδα, καὶ τροφὴν
ἑαυτῷ μαστεύειν καὶ ἐπιβουλὰς φυλάττεσθαι καὶ τὰ
λοιπὰ ὅσα αὐτῷ σύνεστι δῶρα φύσεως, παράδοξον
ἴσως οὐδέν: καὶ γὰρ λόγου μετείληχεν ἄνθρωπος
τοῦ πάντων τιμιωτάτου, καὶ λογισμοῦ ἠξίωται,
ὅσπερ οὖν ἐστι πολυαρκέστατός TE καὶ πολυω-
φελέστατος" ἀλλὰ καὶ θεοὺς αἰδεῖσθαι οἶδε καὶ
σέβειν. τὸ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀλόγοις μετεῖναι τινος
ἀρετῆς κατὰ pvow,) καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων
πλεονεκτημάτων καὶ θαυμαστὰ ἔχειν συγκεκληρω-
μένα, τοῦτο ἤδη μέγα. καὶ εἰδέναι ye μὴ ῥᾳθύμως
τὰ προσόντα αὐτῶν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ, καὶ omws
ἐσπουδάσθη οὐ μεῖον τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ {τὰν τῶν
ἄλλων ξῴων, εἴη ἄν τινος πεπαιδευμένης φρενὸς

ς X ἐν 4 ¢ fF
καὶ μαθούσης πολλά. ws μὲν οὖν καὶ ετεροιὶς

' os 2 4 \
ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐσπούδασται, καλῶς οἶδα ᾿ ἐγὼ δὲ
[ἐμαυτῷ 8 ταῦτα ὅσα οἷόν τε ἦν ἀθροίσας καὶ

“a f “ 9
περιβαλὼν αὐτοῖς τὴν συνήθη λέξιν, κειμήλιον οὐκ

> , f .
1 φύσιν καὶ εἰ μὴ κατὰ THY οἰκείαν κρίσιν.

ΕΠ Sega oa yey A SE TELS TES SUES UR ΤΥ ED TST Ue So ΣΤ ΒΡ ΟΣ το στο

FS ONION SAY OS RUT

AELIAN

ON THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF ANIMALS

PROLOGUE

Tuere is perhaps nothing extraordinary in the fact
that man is wise and just, takes great care to provide
for his own children, shows due consideration for his
parents, seeks sustenance for himself, protects himself
against plots, and possesses all the other gifts of
nature which are his. For man has been endowed
with speech, of all things the most precious, and has
been granted reason, which is of the greatest help and
use. Moreover, he knows how to reverence and wor-
ship the gods. But that dumb animals should by
nature possess some good quality and should have
many of man’s amazing excellences assigned to them
along with man, is indeed a remarkable fact. And to
know accurately the special characteristics of each,
and how living creatures also have been a source of
interest no less than man, demands a trained in-
telligence and much learning. Now J am well aware
of the labour that others have expended on this
subject, yet I have collected all the materials that I
could; I have clothed them in untechnical language,
and am persuaded that my achievement is a treasure

2 {τάδ add. Jac. 8 [ἐμαυτῷ] del. H.

AELIAN

ἀσπούδαστον ἐκπονῆσαι πεπίστευκα. εἰ δέ τῷ καὶ
ἄλλῳ φανεῖται ταῦτα λυσιτελῆ, χρήσθω αὐτοῖς "
ὅτῳ δὲ οὐ φανεῖται, ἐάτω τῷ πατρὶ θάλπειν τε καὶ
περιέπειν - οὐ γὰρ πάντα πᾶσι καλά, οὐδὲ ἄξια
δοκεῖ σπουδάσαι πᾶσι πάντα. εἶ δὲ ἐπὶ πολλοῖς
τοῖς πρώτοις καὶ σοφοῖς γεγόναμεν, μὴ ἔστω
ξημίωμα ἐς 1 ἔπαινον ἡ τοῦ χρόνου λῆξις, εἰ, τι καὶ
αὐτοὶ σπουδῆς ἄξιον μάθημα παρεχοίμεθα καὶ τῇ
εὑρέσει τῇ περιττοτέρᾳ καὶ τῇ φωνῇ.

1 εἰς MSS always.

ESI EB RST SU GSES RT ψ,η».ὡ“ἡ ῇ ἑ Ἅὼ7“γψγ͵Ή͵ι͵..2νι,κ,,,, ρου 1:
δ:

ἜΝ ΣΡ ΠΣ

ON ANIMALS, PROLOGUE

far from negligible. So if anyone considers them
profitable, let him make use of them; anyone who
does not consider them so may give them to his father
to keep and attend to. For not all things give
pleasure to all men, nor do all men consider all
subjects worthy of study. Although I was born later
than many accomplished writers of an earlier day, the
accident of date ought not to mulct me of praise, if
I too produce a learned work whose ampler research
and whose choice of language make it deserving of

_gerious attention.

BOOK I

ELS ONS OTE SESE BEIGE SR

LEE DTELO LL IR EL IMLEL LEED

SOREL eS NONI

-" ? ΄- \ 3 4

1. KaAdctrai τις Διομήδεια νῆσος, καὶ ἐρῳδιοὺς
: Ky / ‘ , 3

ἔχει πολλούς. οὗτοι, φασί, τοὺς βαρβάρους οὔτε
3 - 3 > “ f . 3A ὃ λ ὝἭ; .

ἀδικοῦσιν οὔτε αὐτοῖς προσίασιν - ἐὰν δὲ “Ἕλλην
Ἁ “. ᾽

κατάρῃ ἕένος, οἱ δὲ θείᾳ τινὲ δωρεᾷ προσιασι

¢ - f 3

πτέρυγας ἁπλώσαντες olover xelpas τινας ἐς
- , ξ ,ὔ ~

δεξίωσίν τε Kal περιπλοκάς. καὶ ἁπτομένων τῶν

3 __ A 4
Ἑλλήνων οὐχ ὑποφεύγουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀτρεμοῦσι Kat.

4 /
ἀνέχονται, καὶ καθημένων ἐς τοὺς κόλπους κατα-
On ; 7
πέτονται, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπὶ ξένια κληθέντες.
>. a a > ‘
λέγονται οὖν οὗτοι Διομήδους ἑταῖροι εἶναι καὶ
~ “Ὁ “ > 4% Ἄ 3
σὺν αὐτῷ τῶν ὅπλων τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν “Tov μετ-
? f > Ἁ ~ 3
εσχηκέναι, εἶτα τὴν προτέραν φύσιν ἐς τὸ τῶν ὁρ-
“ 7 to Ψ 3 » ~ ὃ
νίθων μεταβαλόντες εἶδος, ὅμως ἐτι καὶ νῦν ιαφυ-
‘ ?
Adrrew τὸ εἶναι “Ἑλληνές τε Kat Φιλέλληνες.

2. Ὃ σκάρος πόας μὲν θαλαττίας συτεῖται καὶ
Bova: λαγνίστατος δὲ ἄρα ἰχθύων ἁπάντων ἦν,
καὶ % γε πρὸς τὸ θῆλυ ἀκόρεστος ἐπιθυμία αὐτῷ
ἁλώσεως αἰτία γίνεται. ταῦτα οὖν αὐτῷ συνεγνω-
κότες οἱ σοφοὶ τῶν ἁλιέων, ἐπιτίθενταί οἱ τὸν
τρόπον τοῦτον. ὅταν θῆλυν συλλάβωσνν, ἐνέδησαν ἃ
ὁρμιᾷ σπάρτου πεποιημένῃ λεπτῇ τοῦ στόματος
ἄκρου, καὶ ἐπισύρουσι διὰ τῆς θαλάττης τὸν ἰχθὺν
ξῶντα - ἴσασι δὲ εὐνάς τε αὐτῶν καὶ διατριβὰς καὶ

1 Gron: ξενίᾳ. * ἔδησαν,

si LEO ASU Osh nah ea tone edi it SS ELE ERO Soa I ROU UO 2]
ἧ Ἷ

ὋοΠν,,.ς) πῤρῆῇῤ ΦἈώΦῥΣῥὥΣὥΣ..,͵.͵.,,',...2ὺᾺ7ν.,.,,»..;, ΠΣ ρῶς

ἢ

ἣν

BOOK I

it is the home of many Shearwaters. These, it is said,
neither harm the barbarians nor go near them. If
however a stranger from Greece puts in to port, the
birds by some divine dispensation approach, extend-
ing their wings as though they were hands, to welcome
and embrace the strangers. Andifthe Greeks stroke
them, they do not fly away, but stay still and allow
themselves to be touched; and if the men sit down,
the birds fly on to their lap as though they had been
invited to a meal. They are said to be the com-
panions of Diomedes ® and to have taken part with
him in the war against Ilium; though their original
form was afterwards changed into that of birds, they
nevertheless still preserve their Greek nature and
their love of Greece. 3

2. The Parrot Wrasse feeds upon seaweed and τε oid

wrack, and is of all fishes the most lustful, and its in-
satiable desire for the female is the reason why it gets
caught. Now skilful anglers are aware of this, and
they set uponitin this way. Whenever they capture
a female, they fasten a fine line of esparto to its lip
and trail the fish alive through the sea, knowing as
they do where the fish lie, their haunts, and where

« Mod. San Domenico, one of the three ‘ Isole di Tremiti,’ .

about 15 mi. N of the ‘ spur ’ of Italy.

> King of Argos; settled later in Daunia, where he died and
was buried in Diomedea.

iomede

1. There is a certain island called Diomedea,* and ah Birds of

STAC Ht AR MET OU TED ταν SEES

AELIAN

ὅπου συναγελάζονται. μόλυβδος δὲ αὐτοῖς πεποίη-
ται βαρὺς τὴν ὁλκήν, περιφερὴς τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ
ἔχει μῆκος τριῶν δακτύλων, καὶ διείληπται ἐξ
ἄκρων σχοίνῳ, καὶ ἐπισύρει “ τὸν τεθηραμένον.
καὶ κύρτον τις τῶν ἐν τῇ πορθμίδι παραρτῆσας
ἐπάγεται εὐρὺν τὸ στόμα, καὶ ἐς τὸν ἑαλωκότα
'τέτραπται σκάρον ὁ κύρτος - βαρεῖται δὲ ἡσυχῆ
οὗτος λίθῳ μεμετρημένῳ. οὐκοῦν οἱ ἄρρενες,
ὥσπερ οὖν νύμφην ὡρικὴν ὃ νεανίαι θεασάμενοι,
οἰστροῦνταί τε καὶ μεταθέουσι, καὶ ἐπείγονται

φθάσαι ἄλλος ἄλλον καὶ γενέσθαι πλησίον καὶ

-- > Ad
παραψαῦσαι, ὥσπερ οὖν δυσέρωτες ἄνθρωποι
5" ; 3}
φίλημα ἢ κνίσμα θηρώμενοι ἤ τι ἄλλο κλέμμα
,ὔ ΖΝ ~
ἐρωτικόν. ὃ τοίνυν ἄγων τὸν θῆλυν ἡσυχῆ καὶ
4 " \ 3 4. > 4 “~
πεφεισμένως, λοχῶν τε καὶ ἐπιβουλεύων εὐθὺ τοῦ
κύρτου σὺν τῇ ἐρωμένῃ, φαίης ἄν, τοὺς ἐραστὰς
ἄγει. γενομένων δὲ ὁμοῦ τῷ κύρτῳ, τὸν μὲν
“λ 5 θῇ ς θ Α 9 1 3 ς δὲ
μόλυβδον μεθῆκεν 6 θηρατὴς ἐς τὸ ἐσωδ ὁ OE
, ~ - “
ἄρα ἐμπίπτων σὺν τῇ ὁρμιᾷ κατασπᾷ καὶ τὸν
θῆλυν. οὐκοῦν συνεσρεύσαντες ἑαλώκασι, καὶ διδό-
“ ? ? :
ασι δίκην ὁρμῆς ἀφροδισίου ταύτην οἱ σκάροι.

,ὔ; “΄- “A
3. Ὃ ἐχθὺς 6 κέφαλος τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἕλεσι
ὔ “a
βιούντων ἐστί, καὶ πεπίστευται τῆς γαστρὸς

- \ ὃ “- A / , ~ 4 ἐ
κρατεῖν καὶ διαιτᾶσθαι πάνυ σωφρόνως. ζωῷ

A s > 2 / 3 ‘ A ? ‘
μὲν yap οὐκ ἐπιτίθεται, ἀλλὰ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς
ra > >
ἰχθῦς ἔνσπονδος εἶναι πέφυκεν - ὅτῳ δ᾽ ἂν ἐντύχῃ
~ ε al
κειμένῳ, TOOTS οἱ δεῖπνόν ἐστιν. οὐ πρότερον δὲ

~ f 4 μων “-“ “-ο
αὐτοῦ προσάπτεται, πρὶν ἢ τῇ οὐρᾷ κινῆσαι. και.

ἀτρεμοῦντος μὲν ἔχει τὴν ἄγραν, κινηθέντος δὲ
ἀνεχώρησεν.
1 ἐπισύρεται. 2 Jac: ἐρωτικήν.

Se etc ln eS UL
ΕἼ

ΠΤ ἤἁ,,"ο᾽᾿ἁφψἁἉἉφγρΨΨ,,,[, Ὀ.»

ON ANIMALS, I. 2-3

they assemble. They prepare a heavy leaden sinker
round in shape and three fingers in length; a cord is
passed through both ends, and it trails the captured
fish after it. One of the men in the boat attaches to
the side a weel with a wide mouth; the weelis then _
turned towards the captured Wrasse and slightly
weighted with a stone of appropriate size. Where-
upon the male Wrasses, like young men who have

caught sight of a pretty girl, go in pursuit, mad with

desire, each trying to outstrip the other and to reach

her side and rub against her, just as love-sick men

strive to kiss or tickle <a girl) or to play some other

amorous trick. So then the man who is towing the

female gently and slowly and planning to entrap <his

fish, draws the lovers (as you might call them) with

the loved one straight towards the weel. As soon as

they come level with the weel, the angler lets the

lead weight drop into it, and as it falls in it drags the

female down with it by the line. And as the male

Wrasses swim in with her, they are captured and pay

the penalty for their erotic impulse. |

3. The Mullet is one of those fishes that live in The Mullet

pools and is believed to control its appetite and to
lead a most temperate existence. For it never sets
upon a living creature, but is naturally inclined to
peaceful relations with all fish. If it comes across
any dead fish, it makes its meal off that, but will not
lay hold upon it until it has moved it with its tail: if
the fish does not stir, it becomes the Mullet’s prey ;
but if it moves, the Mullet withdraws.

3 εἴσω MSS always. 4 Cobet: ζῴῳ H.

AELIAN

: 4 ἃ.
4, Τιμωροῦσιν ἀλλήλοις ὡς ἄνθρωποι πιστοὶ καὶ
ἷ / 4 . Ἦν 9 f
συστρατιῶται δίκαιοι οἱ ἰχθύες, οὔσπερ οὖν ἀνθίας
΄ ,ὔ -
οἱ τῆς θήρας ἐπιστήμονες τῆς θαλαττίας φιλοῦσιν

f 7 “-
ὀνομάζειν, ὄντας τὰ ἤθη πελαγίους. τούτων γοῦν

ἕκαστοι, ὅταν νοήσωσι τεθηρᾶσθαι τὸν σύννομον,
προσνέουσιν ὦκιστα, εἶτα ἐς αὐτὸν τὰ νῶτα
ἀπερείδουσι, καὶ ἐμπίπτοντες καὶ ὠθούμενοι τῇ
δυνάμει κωλύουσιν ἕλκεσθαι.

\ ? A

> > οὗ ΗΝ
Καὶ οἱ σκάροι δὲ ἐς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀγέλην εἰσιν.
? ~ ‘ X ε Ά
ἀγαθοὶ τιμωροί. προσίασι γοῦν, καὶ THY ὁρμιᾶν

a ? 4 ¢ 7 2
ἀποτραγεῖν σπεύδουσιν, ἵνα σώσωσι τὸν ἢρημένον
2 \ 5 ~
καὶ πολλάκις μὲν ἀποκόψαντες ἔσωσαν Kal ἀφῆκαν
-“ ? ᾿ “ i
ἐλεύθερον, καὶ οὐκ αἰτοῦσι Cwaypia “πολλάκις δὲ
7 A 3 “" ¢ os
οὐκ ἔτυχον, GAN ἥμαρτον μέν, TO δ᾽ οὖν ἑαυτῶν
᾿ς , ΄ 3 \ ‘
πεποιήκασιν εὖ μάλα προθύμως. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐς
: 3 wa:
τὸν κύρτον τὸν σκάρον ἐμπεσεῖν φασι καὶ τὸ
~ 4 Ἁ > : f ‘
οὐραῖον μέρος ἐκβαλεῖν, Tous δὲ ἀθηράτους Kat
- ᾿ > 4 3) 4 ε -
περινέοντας ἐνδακεῖν καὶ ἐς "τὸ ἔξω τὸν ἑταῖρον
a 3 4 3 / 1 4 f ~ τί οἱ 9
προαγαγεῖν. εἰ δὲ ἐξείη * TO στόμα, τῶν TIS OL
¢ x 4 4 ἂν
ἔξω τὴν οὐρὰν παρώρεξεν, ὁ δὲ περιχανὼν ἠκολού
ὃ ἐν δὴ ταῦτα dpa ὃ 8 ἄνθρωποι
θησεν. οὗτοι μὲν δὴ ταῦτα δρῶσιν, ὦ “ avlp ;
3 3 4
φιλεῖν οὐ μαθόντες, ἀλλὰ πεφυκότες.

5. Ὁ ixOds ὁ τρώκτης, τούτου μὲν κατηγορεῖ

bd \ Ἁ \ 7 :
τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τὸ στόμα

: ~ - 3 ΄ Α.
ὀδόντες δὲ αὐτῷ συνεχεῖς τε ἐμπεφύκασι καὶ

“- 4 “, εχ ’
πολλοί, καὶ πᾶν τὸ ἐμπεσὸν διατεμεῖν εὖ μάλα

~*~ ς 4 3 , la > 7 >:
καρτεροί. οὐκοῦν ἁλοὺς ἀγκίστρῳ μόνος ἰχθύων ἐς

φ
1 ἐξίοι κατά. 2 Jac: τίς ὁ. 3 Jac: ws.

ASL ENLACES SA BOE EA EER ERO SRR

Ἧ

8 ΡΠ SEE LBS ERT EE ἔοι EE

ON ANIMALS, I. 4-5

4, As loyal men and true fellow-soldiers come to The
one another’s aid, so do the fish which men skilled in “75

sea-fishing call Anthias;* and their haunts are the
sea. For instance, directly they are aware that a
mate has been hooked, they swim up with all possible
speed; then they set their back against him and by
falling upon him and pushing with all their might
try to stop him from being hauled in. :
- Parrot Wrasses too are doughty champions of their T
own kin. At any rate they rush forward and make
haste to bite through the line in order to rescue the
one that has been caught. And many a time have
they cut the line and set him free, and they ask for no
reward for life-saving. Many a time however they
have not contrived to do this, but have failed in spite
of having done all they could with the utmost zeal.
And it has even happened, they say, that, when a
Parrot Wrasse has fallen into the weel and has left
his tail-part projecting, the others that are swimming
around uncaught have fixed their teeth in him and
have dragged their comrade out. If however his
head was projecting, one of those outside offered his
tail, which the captive grasped and followed. This,
my fellow-men, is what these creatures do: their
love is not taught, it is inborn.

‘he Parro
jrasse

5. Of the fish known as the ‘ Gnawer ὁ its name The Gnawer

and, what is more, its mouth declare its nature. Its
teeth grow in an unbroken line and are numerous
and so strong as to bite through anything that
comes their way. Therefore, when taken with a

* Unidentified.
ὃ Perhaps the fox-shark; see Thompson, Gk. fishes, s.vv.
ἀλώπηξ, τρώκτης.

WBA CERN SOE SA ALLL LAE GTA ES OE OLY Eb AREAL DA SSIES LISTE TE ES

AELIAN

τὸ ἔμπαλιν ἑαυτὸν οὐκ ἐπανάγει, ἀλλὰ ὠθεῖται
τὴν ὁρμιὰν ἀποθρίσαι * διψῶν. οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς σοφίζον-
ται τἀναντία: τὰς γάρ τοι τῶν ἀγκίστρων λαβὰς
χαλκεύονται μακράς. ὁ δὲ (καὶ γὰρ πώς ἐστι καὶ
ἁλτικὸς) καὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας ἀνέθορε πολλάκις καὶ.
τὴν τρίχα τὴν ἄγουδαν τεμὼν ἐς ἤθη τὰ τῶν
ἰχθύων αὖθις ἀπονήχεται. οὗτός τοι καὶ τὴν ἀγέ-
λην τὴν σύννομον παραλαβὼν σὺν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνοις
χωρεῖ καὶ τοῖς δελφῖσιν ὁμόσε: καὶ ἕνα ἀποκρι-
θέντα πως περιελθόντες εἶτα ἐπιτίθενται τῷ θηρίῳ
καρτερῶς: ἴσασι γὰρ ὅτι τῶν ἐξ αὐτῶν δηγμάτων

ῖ

> ¢ f 3 oh « 4 ‘ 3 + ~ nus
od ῥᾳθύμως ἐπαΐει. οἱ μὲν γὰρ €XOVTAl αὐτοῦ Καὶ

i 9 ~ € de 3 δᾶ 4 » Ὁ 1
μάλα ἐγκρατῶς, ὁ 0€ ἀναπηθᾷ Kat κυβιστᾷ," καὶ
ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς ὀδύνης στρεβλοῦται διελέγχεται:"
~ 4
ἀπρὶξ yap ἐμφύντες συνεξαίρονται πηδῶντος. καὶ
ὁ μὲν ἀποσείσασθαι καὶ ἀποκροῦσαι σπεύδει
3 ? ξ δὲ 3 > ~ Ἰλλὰ 3 θί ~~
αὐτούς, of δὲ οὐκ ἀνιᾶσιν, ἀλλὰ ἐσθίουσι ζῶντα.
εἶτα μέντοι ὅ τι ἂν ἕκαστος μέρος exTpayy, τοῦτο
A
ἔχων ἀπαλλάττεται" καὶ ὁ δελφὶς ἀσμένως
ie je :
ἀπονήχεται, δαιτυμόνας, ws ἂν εἰποις, ἀκλήτους
os ~ 4 3 ;
ἑστιάσας σὺν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ὀδύνῃ ἐκείνους.

6. Γλαύκης ἀκούω τῆς κιθαρῳδοῦ ἐρασθῆναι

> . wn
κύνα: of δὲ οὐ κύνα, ἀλλὰ κριόν: ἄλλοι δὲ χῆνα.

Ὁ

καὶ ἐν Σόλοις δὲ τῆς Κιλικίας * παιδός, ᾧ ὄνομα

ἣν Ἑενοφῶν, κύων ἠράσθη: ἄλλου δὲ ὅ. ὡραίου
μειρακίου ἐν Σπάρτῃ κολοιὸς ἐπὶ τῷ εἴδει ἐνόσησεν.

1 > θ ,

ἀποθερίσαι.
2 “ SHAG ?

κυβιστῶν δῆλός ἐστιν.

“-μ Ν᾽
8 Jac: εἶτα μέντοι τοῦτο ὅ TL. « . ἐχῶν.
4 χοῖς Ἱζιλικίοις.
Ed

5 καὶ ἄλλου.

ΤΣ RAS PS TOSSES SL IS ΤΣ ΖΩΣ ΤΣΟῚ τς ὩΣ ΣΟ ΣΝ δες ΜΝ

Ὁ αν μευ Τρ ρὸν

ON ANIMALS, I. 5-6

hook, it is the only fish that does not attempt to
withdraw, but presses on in its eagerness to cut the
line. Fishermen however counter this by a device:
they have their hooks forged with a long shank.
But the Gnawer, being a powerful jumper in its way,
chiang oe above the shank, and cutting the hair-line
that is drawing it, swims away agai
where fish haunt. ΠΕΡ ΘΕ ΠΟ
ΤῸ also gathers round it a shoal of its fellows and
with them also makes an attack upon the Dolphins.
And if one chance to get separated from the rest,
the Gnawers surround it and then set upon the
creature furiously, knowing as they do that the Dol-
phin is by no means insensible to their bites. For
the Gnawers cling most tenaciously to it, while the -
Dolphin leaps upwards and plunges; and it shows
how it is being tormented by the pain, for the
Gnawers that have fastened upon it are lifted out of
the water with it as it leaps. And while the Dolphin
struggles to shake them loose and beat them off,
they never relax their hold, but. would eat it alive.
Then however when each Gnawer has bitten away
a piece, they go off with their mouthful, and the
Dolphin is thankful to swim away after having fed
its uninvited guests (if one may so call them) to its
own pain. -

6. I am told that a dog fellin love with Glauce the ‘Animatsin

harpist. Some however assert that it was not a dog

but a ram, while others say it was a goose. And at belnes

Soli in Cilicia a dog loved a boy of the name of
Xenophon; at Sparta another boy in the prime of
life by reason of his beauty caused a jackdaw to fall
sick of love. |

AELIAN

ὃ “" : - : -- 7 -
7. Λέγουσι τὸν θῶα τὸ ζῷον φιλανθρωπότατον

: , > -
εἶναι. καὶ ὅταν μέν που περιτύχῃ ἀνθρώπῳ,
ἐκτρέπεται αὐτόν, οἷον αἰδούμενος" ὅταν δὲ
3 4 7 ¢ 3 3) , Α ᾿
ἀδικούμενον θεάσηται ὑπ᾽ ἄλλου θηρίου, τὸ τηνι-

“ > o~
καῦτα ἐπαμύνει αὐτῷ.

8. Νικίας τις τῶν συγκυνηγετούντων 1 ἀπροό-
πτως παραφερόμενος ἃ ἐς ἀνθρακευτῶν κάμινον
κατηνέχθη, οἱ δὲ κύνες οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τοῦτο
ἰδόντες οὐκ ἀπέστησαν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα
κνυζώμενοι περὶ τὴν κάμινον καὶ ὠρυόμενοι διέτρι-

Ἁ

βον, τὰ δὲ τελευταῖα μονονουχὶ τοὺς παριόντας

2 / 4 f 3 ~ € , Sf
ἠρέμα καὶ πεφεισμένως KATA τῶν ἱματίων δάκ-

εν e 3.4 4 7 φ > / ~
vovres εἶτα εἷλκον ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος, οἷον ἐπικούρους τῷ
΄“ ξ 7
δεσπότῃ παρακαλοῦντες τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οἱ κῦνες.
καὶ γοῦν εἷς δρῶν τὸ γινόμενον ὑπώπτευσε τὸ
f \ 3 λ 4θ 4 “Ὁ \ N ὔ 3 on
συμβάν, καὶ ἠκολούθησε Kat εὗρε Tov ἱνικίαν ev Τῇ
i ? 3 “ , i ἃ

καμίνῳ καταφλεχθέντα, ἐκ τῶν λειψάνων συμβαλὼν

τὸ γενόμενον.

9, Ὁ κηφὴν ὁ ἐν μελίτταις γεννώμενος μεθ᾽
ἡμέραν μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρηνίοις κατακέκρυπται,
3.6. Ἢ nv : f , Ἃ
νύκτωρ δέ, ἡνίκα ἂν παραφυλάξῃ καθευδούσας τὰς
“μελίττας, ἐπιφοιτᾷ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν καὶ λυμαΐνε-

“ 3

ται τοῖς σίμβλοις. τοῦτο ἐκεῖναι καταμαθοῦσαι, αἱ

μὲν πλεῖσται τῶν μελιττῶν καθεύδουσιν ἅτε πεπον-
ηκυῖαι, ὀλίγαι δὲ αὐτῶν ἐλλοχῶσιν. εἶτα ὅταν
ἕλωσι τὸν φῶρα, παίουσιν αὐτὸν πεφεισμένως καὶ
ἐξωθοῦσι,)2 καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι φυγάδα εἶναι. ὁ δὲ
οὐδ᾽ οὕτω πεπαίδευται: πέφυκε γὰρ καὶ ἀργὸς καὶ
λίχνος, δύο κακώ. ἔξω τοίνυν τῶν κηρίων ἑαυτὸν
ἀποκρύπτει, εἶτα ὅταν ἐπὶ τὰς νομὰς ἐξορμήσωσιν
22

ON ANIMALS, I. 7-9

7. Men say that the Jackal is most friendly dis- The Jackal

posed to man, and whenever it happens to encounter a

man, it gets out of his way as though from deference;
but when it sees a man being injured by some other
animal, it at once comes to his help.

8. One Nicias unwittingly outdistanced his fellow Nici
his hounds

huntsmen and fell into a charcoal-burners’ furnace.
But his hounds, which saw this happen, did not leave
the spot, but at first remained whining and baying
about the furnace, until at length, by Just daring to
bite the clothes of passers-by gently and cautiously,
they tried to draw them to the scene of the mishap,
as though the hounds were imploring the men to
come to their master’s help. One man at any rate
seeing this, suspected what had occurred .and fol-
lowed. He found Nicias burned to death in the
furnace, and from the remains he guessed the truth.

as and

9. The Drone, which is born among bees, hides The Drone

itself among the combs during the day, but at night,
when it observes that the bees are asleep, it invades

their work and makes havoe in the hives. When the -

bees realise this (most of them are asleep, being
thoroughly tired, though a few are lying in wait for
the thief), directly they catch him they beat. him,
not violently, and thrust him out and cast him forth
into exile. Yet even so the Drone has not learnt his
lesson, for he is naturally slothful and greedy—two

bad qualities! So he secretes himself outside the’

combs and later, when the bees fly forth to their

1 °4
κυνηγετούντων. 2 φερόμενος.
8. ἐξωθοῦσι τοῖς πτεροῖς.

AELIAN

αἱ μέλιτται, ὁ δὲ ὠσάμενος ἔσω τὸ ἑαυτοῦ δρᾷ,
ἐμφορούμενος καὶ κεραΐζων ἐκεῖνος τὸν θησαυρὸν
τῶν μελιττῶν τὸν “γλυκύν. καὶ ἐκεῖναι. ἐκ τῆς
νομῆς ὑποστρέψασαι, ὅταν αὐτῷ περιτύχωσιν, ἐν-
ταῦθα μὲν οὐκέτι πεφεισμένως αὐτὸν παίουσιν,
οὐδ᾽ ὅσον ἐς φυγὴν τρέψαι, ἀλλὰ εὖ μάλα 1 βιαίως
ἐμπεσοῦσαι διαλοῶσι τὸν λῃστήν: καὶ οὐ μεμπτὴν
ὑπομείνας τὴν τιμωρίαν, ὑπὲρ τῆς γαστριμαργίας
καὶ ἀδηφαγίας τῇ ψυχῇ “ ἔτισεν. μελιττουργοὶ
λέγουσι ταῦτα, καὶ ἐμὲ πείθουσιν.

39. Δ , ΝΣ a , > \
10. Eliot δέ τινες καὶ ἐν ταῖς μελίτταις ἀργοὶ

4 ᾽
μέλιτται, οὐ μὴν κηφηνώδεις τὸν τρόπον' οὐ γὰρ
“A ? ; ~
λυμαίνονται τοῖς κηρίοις οὐδ᾽ ἐπιβουλεύουσι τῷ
aN Ὁ Ἰλλὰ ? 3 > ~ 2 θ 7 +.
μέλιτι αὗται, ἀλλὰ τρέφονται ὃ ἐκ τῶν ἀνύέων Kat
αὗται πετόμεναι καὶ σύννομοι ταῖς ἄλλαις οὖσαι.

4 4

εἰ δὲ καί εἰσιν ἄτεχνοι περὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν καὶ THY

δ) \ A Ἢ λλὸ - 3 aoe ee
KOLLONY TV TOV μέλιτος, ἃ α youv οὐκ εἰσιν

ἄπρακτοι πάντῃ. at μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ὕδωρ τῷ
βασιλεῖ κομίζουσι καὶ ταῖς πρεσβυτέραις δέ, αἵπερ
οὖν 4 τῷ βασιλεῖ παραμένουσι καὶ ἐς τὴν δορυφο-
ρίαν ἀπεκρίθησαν τὴν αὐτοῦ: ἕτεραι δὲ αὐτῶν ὃ
ἔχουσιν ἐκεῖνο ἔργον, τὰς ἀποθνησκούσας τῶν
μελιττῶν ἔξω φέρουσι: δεῖ γὰρ αὐταῖς καθαρὰ
εἶναι τὰ κηρία, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέχονται νεκρὰν ἔσω
μέλιτταν: ἄλλαι δὲ ὃ νύκτωρ φρουροῦσι, ὥσπερ

εν 4 Ἁ 7 Ἁ ~ ?
οὖν πόλιν μικρὰν φυλάττουσαι THY τῶν κηρίων

> / 3 “ ,
οἰκοδομίαν ἐκεῖναι γε.

A € \
11. Μελιττῶν δὲ ἡλικίαν Siayvoin τις ἂν Tov
- » /
τρόπον τοῦτον. αἱ μὲν αὐτοετεῖς στιλπναί τέ εἶσι
1 εὖ μάλα τοῖς κέντροις. 2 τῆν ψυχήν.

ἋΣ ἐἔἐὁἌἕἔΨἌΨἀΨέΕΠηπ,ιοὁΕέΠέΕινᾳιἔζῶ ες,

ON ANIMALS, I. 9-11

feeding-grounds, pushes his way in and does what is

natural to him, cramming himself and plundering the |

bees’ treasure of honey. But they on returning from
their pasturage, directly they encounter him, no
longer beat him with moderation nor merely put him
to flight, but fall upon him vigorously and make an
end of the thief. The punishment which he suffers
none can censure: he pays for his gluttony and
voracity with his life.

This is what bee-keepers say, and they convince me.

10. Even among Bees there are some which are
lazy, though they do not resemble drones in their
habits, for they neither damage the combs nor have
designs upon the honey, but feed themselves on the
flowers, flying abroad and accompanying the others.
But though they have no skill in the making and the
gathering of honey, at any rate they are not com-
pletely inactive, for some fetch water for their king
and for their elders, while the elders themselves
attend upon the king and have been set apart to
form his bodyguard. Meanwhile others of them have
this for their task: they carry the dead bees out of
the hive. For it is essential that their honeycombs
should be clean, and they will not tolerate a dead
bee in the hive. Others again keep watch by night,
and their duty is to guard the fabric of honeycombs
as though it were some tiny city.

11. Aman may tell the age of Bees in the follow- Bees
err

ing way. Those born in the current year are glisten-

,
8. φρέφονται μέν.
4 « - ¢ ἢ -
| αἵπερ οὖν αἱ πρεσβύτεραι καὶ αὗται τῷ β.
~ lal 39. 7 .ἢ
αὐτῶν τῶν ἀτέχνων. 6. Gill: ἀλλὰ καί.

Bees and
their various

duties

and
ages

"πε ηας titties

ἐφκοξολερακοδοιτχαθφλλτότν

AELIAN

/ φ \ / |
καὶ ἐοίκασιν ἐλαίῳ τὴν χρόαν 1" αἱ δὲ πρεσβύτεραι
τραχεῖαι καὶ ἰδεῖν καὶ προσψαῦσαι ® γίνονται,
“ Ἁ 4 ΄“ > i ,
ῥυσαὶ δὲ ὁρῶνται διὰ τὸ γῆρας". ἐμπειρότεραι δέ

3 KM 4 ?

᾿ς 2X:
Εὐσὺν QUTGE Καὶ TEXVLKWTEPOl, παιδεύσαντος AUTAS

‘ > ~ “λ ͵ “-“ ? 3 ὃ 4
τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ μέλιτι σοφίαν τοῦ χρόνου. ἐχοῦσι OE

~ Ἁ “-. ‘ 7 3 /
καὶ μαντικῶς, ὥστε καὶ ὑετῶν καὶ κρύους ἐπιδημίαν.

A 1 Φ ΄ . ὦ Ἂ ᾿
προμαθεῖν' καὶ οταν τούτων TO ετέρον ἢ Kat
, ”

3 7 3 3.4 7
ἀμφότερα ἔσεσθαι συμβάλωσιν, οὐκ ἐπὶ μήκιστον

,ὔ inl 3 \ “- a
ἐκτείνουσι THY πτῆσιν, ἀλλὰ περυποτῶνται τοῖς
e 4

ors a x ς
σμήνεσι, καὶ οἱονεὶ περιθυροῦσιν. ἐκ δὴ τούτων οἱ

μελιττουργοὶ οἰωνισάμενοι προλέγουσι τοῖς γεωρ-
γοῖς τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐπιδημίαν τοῦ χειμῶνος. δε-
δοίκασι δὲ ἄρα οὐ τοσοῦτον τὸ κρύος at μέλυτται,
ὅσον τὸν ὄμβρον τὸν πολὺν καὶ τὸν νιφετόν. ἐναν-
τίαι δὲ πολλάκις τοῦ πνεύματος πέτονται, καὶ βρα-
χεῖαν λίθον ἐν τοῖς ποσὶ κομίζουσι καὶ τοσαύτην
ὅσην εὔφορον αὐταῖς πετομέναις εἶναι, καὶ τρόπον
τινὰ τοῦτο ἕρμα ἑαυταῖς ἐπιτεχνῶνται πρὸς τὸν
ἐμπίπτοντα ἄνεμον τά τε ἄλλα καὶ ἵνα μὴ παρατ-
ρέψῃ τῆς δδοῦ ἡ αὔρα αὐτάς.

12. Ἔρωτος δὲ ἰσχὺν καὶ ἰχθύων γένη πολλὰ
ἔγνω, τοῦ τοσούτου θεοῦ μηδὲ τοὺς κάτω καὶ ἐν
“ a 4 “a A r # ς δό \. 3 /
τῷ βυθῷ ὁ τῆς θαλάττης ὑπεριδόντος καὶ ἀτιμά-
σαντος. λατρεύει γοῦν τῷδε τῷ δαίμονι ὃ καὶ
᾿ / > 3 > ~ 3 “- \ @ > 3 4
κέφαλος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πᾶς, ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὅνπερ οὖν ἅπο
τοῦ ὀξέος προσώπου καλοῦσιν οἱ γένη τε καὶ
διαφορὰς ἰχθύων κατεγνωκότες. ἁλίσκονται δέ, ὡς
> ? A 4 / \ ? oe AN i \
ἀκούω, περὶ τὸν κόλπον τὸν ᾿Αχαϊκὸν πολλοί, καὶ
an \ 3 > ‘ ey) δ... . , ? ,
τῆς μὲν κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἁλώσεως διαφορότης ἐστι"
LA de > »" 4 λ ὃ 4 3 \ > δί
μάλιστα δὲ αὐτῶν τὸ λυττῶδες τὸ ἐς τὰ ἀφροδίσια

1 χροιάν. 2 Gron: ἅψασθαι. 3 πτῆσιν ἐκ τῆς νομῆς.
26

ON ANIMALS, I. 11-12

ing and are the colour of olive oil; the older ones are
rough to the eye and to the touch and appear
wrinkled with age. They have however greater
experience and skill, time having instructed them in
the art of making honey. They have too the faculty
of divination, so that they know in advance when rain
and frost are coming. And whenever they reckon
that either or both are on their way, they do not
extend their flight very far, but fly round about their
hives as though they would be close to the door.
It is from these signs that bee-keepers augur the
approach of stormy weather and warn the farmers.
And yet Bees are not so afraid of frost as they are
of heavy rain and snow. Often they fly against the
wind, carrying between their feet a small pebble of
such size as is easy to carry when on the wing.
This is a device which they use to ballast themselves
against a contrary wind, and particularly so that the
breeze may not deflect them from their path.

12. Even among fishes there are many kinds
which know how strong is love, for that god, powerful
as he is, has not ignored and disdained even the
creatures that dwell below in the depths of the ocean.
One at any rate that pays service to this god is the
Mullet, but not every species, only that to which
men who have observed the different species of fish
have given a name derived from its sharp snout.
These, I am told, are caught in great numbers round
about the Gulf of Achaia, and there are’ various ways
of catching them. But the following method of
capture proves how madly amorous they are.

+ σι “- s
4 ἐν τῷ βυθῷ καὶ κάτω. 5 δαιμονίῳ.

as weather-
prophets

The Mullet

(oxyrbyn-
chus)

TE ea aL Ls oer cha χυτεταςς στ ρμεοτμ

/
|
|
i
|
|
|
l

AELIAN

κατηγορεῖ ἥδε ἡ ἄγρα. θηράσας ἀνὴρ ἁλιεὺς

θῆλυν, καὶ ἐνδήσας ὦ καλάμῳ μακρῷ ἢ σπάρτῳ
καὶ τούτῳ μακρῷ, κατὰ τῆς ἠόνος ἡσυχῆ βαδίζων
παρανηχόμενον τὸν ἰχθὺν καὶ ἀσπαίροντα ἐπισύρει"
κατ᾽ ἴχνια δὲ αὐτοῦ τις ἕπεται φέρων δίκτυον, καὶ
τὸ μέλλον ὅπῃ τε καὶ ὅπως ἀπαντήσεται φυλάττει
φιλοπόνως ὁ δικτυεὺς οὗτος. οὐκοῦν ἡ μὲν ἄγεται,
ὁπόσοι δὲ ἂν ἴδωσι τῶν ἀρρένων, οἷα δήπου νεανίαι
ἀκόλαστοι μείρακος παραθεούσης εὖ μάλα ὡρικῆς
ἐποφθαλμιάσαντες, ἵενται κατὰ μίξιν ὃ οἰστρούμε-
νοι. ὃ τοίνυν τὸ δίκτυον ἔχων ῥίπτει τὸν βόλον,
καὶ πολλάκις ἰχθύων εὐερμίᾳ περιτυγχάνει τῇ τῆς
ἐπιθυμίας ὁρμῇ προσερχομένων. δεῖ δὲ τῷ πρώτῳ
θηρατῇ τὴν αἱρεθεῖσαν ὡραίαν τε εἶναι καὶ εὖ

“ a σ ἢ , », 3. 3 ν᾿ ἐ 7ὕ :
YKOVOGY OapPKWYV, ὑνὰ Kab πλείους ΕἼ GUTHV ορμήησω-

»“- a , > 4

ow, τὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐφολκὸν δέλεαρ λαβόντες. εἰ δὲ
ὔ ‘

ἄσαρκος εἴη, οἱ πολλοὶ ὑπερφρονήσαντες ᾧχοντο
ἀπιόντες" ὅστις δὲ αὐτῶν ἐστι δύσερως, οὐκ

“--οΟ 3 “ lon
ἀπαλλάττεται, οὐ TH ὥρᾳ, μὰ Δία, ἀλλὰ τῷ τῆς

μίξεως πόθῳ δεδουλωμένος.

13. Ἦσαν δὲ ἄρα καὶ σωφρονεῖν ἰχθύες ἀγαθοί.
ὃ γοῦν αἰτναῖος οὕτω λεγόμενος, ἐπὰν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ
συννόμῳ οἷονεὶ γαμετῇ τινι συνδυασθεὶς κληρώση-
ται τὸ λέχος, ἄλλης οὐχ ἅπτεται, καὶ οὐ δεῖται
συμβολαίων ἐς πίστιν, οὐ προικός, οὐδὲ μὴν δέδοικε
κακώσεως δίκην 6 αἰτναῖος, οὐδὲ αἰδεῖται Σόλωνα.
ὦ νόμοι γενναῖοι καὶ πολύσεμνοι," οἷς ἀκόλαστοι
ἄνθρωποι οὐκ αἰδοῦνται μὴ πείθεσθαι.

2 Reiske: ἐκ-.

8 A Ν a
κατὰ τὴν νῆξιν.

28 -

IMPLIES ISNT SH IIT ISAS EES HI eS IT a Oras

LEDS SSUES τ ον

ON ANIMALS, I. 12-13

A fisherman catches a female Mullet and fastens it now caught

to a long rod or a cord (this too must be long); as he:

walks slowly along the sea-shore he draws the fish,
swimming and gasping, after him. In his footsteps
there follows one with a net, and this net-fisherman

‘watches diligently to see what is going to happen

and where. So the female Mullet is towed along,
and all the males that catch sight of her, like (one
might say) licentious youths ogling a beautiful girl
as she hurries by, come swimming up, mad with
sexual desire. Thereupon the man with the net
casts it and frequently has good luck, thanks to the
urgent lust of the fish that approach. It is essential
for the first fisherman’s purpose that the captured
female should be at her prime and well-fleshed, so
that a greater number may be ardent after her and
may take the bait which her enticing beauty offers.
But should she be lean, most of them will scorn her

and go away. Still, if any one of them is madly in

love, he will not leave her, because he has been
enslaved not by her beauty (that I will swear) but
by his desire for sexual intercourse.

13. It seems however that fish are also models of The

continence. At any rate when the ‘ Etna-fish ’,* as *Etna-fish ’

it is called, pairs with its mate as with a wife and
achieves the married state, it does not touch another
female; it needs no covenants to maintain its
fidelity, no dowry; it even stands in no fear of an
action for ill-usage, nor is Solon® to it a name of
dread. What noble laws, how worthy of veneration!
-__And man, the libertine, feels no scruple at dis-
obeying them.

@ Unidentified. δ᾽ See 2. 42 n.

29.

AELIAN

14. ἹΚοσσύφῳ δὲ τῷ θαλαττίῳ ἤθη τε Kai διατρι- |

at αἱ πέτραι καὶ at onpayywoes ὑποδρομαί.
αμοῦσι δὲ οὗτοι ἕκαστος πολλάς, καὶ τῶν ὁπῶν
οἱονεὶ θαλάμων {ταῖς »; νύμφαις ἀφίστανται. καὶ
τοῦτο μὲν τὸ τοῦ γάμου θρυπτικὸν καὶ τὸ ἐς πολλὰς
ἔχειν τὴν ὁρμὴν νενεμημένην φαίης * ἂν εἶναι τρυ-
φώντων ἐς εὐνὴν βαρβάρων καί, ὡς ἂν εἴποις σὺν
παιδιᾷ σπουδάσας, βίον Μηδικόν τε καὶ Ἰ]ερσικόν.
ἔστι δὲ ἰχθύων ζηλοτυπώτατος καὶ τὴν ἄλλως
μέν, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ ὅταν αἱ νύμφαι τίκτωσιν αὐτῷ.
εἰ δὲ λαμυρώτερον ταῦτα τῇ καταχρήσει ἃ τῶν
ὀνομάτων εἴρηται, δίδωσιν ἡμῖν τὰ ἐκ τῆς φύσεως
πραττόμενα τὴν τῶν τοιούτων ἐξουσίαν. αἱ μὲν
γὰρ ὠδίνων ἤδη πειρώμεναι ἠρεμοῦσί τε καὶ ἔνδον
μένουσιν, ὃ δὲ ἄρρην, οἷα δήπου γαμέτης, περιθυρῶν
τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς φυλάττει τὰς ἔξωθεν φόβῳ τῶν
βρεφῶν. ἔοικε γὰρ καὶ τὰ μήπω γεννώμενα φιλεῖν
καὶ δέει πατρικῷ ἁλισκόμενος ἐντεῦθεν ὀρρωδεῖν
ἤδη, καὶ διημερεύει μὲν ἐπὶ τῇ φρουρᾷ πάντων
ἄγευστος, καὶ ἡ φροντὶς αὐτὸν τρέφει: δείλης δὲ
ὀψίας γενομένης ἀφεῖται τῆς ἀνάγκης τῆσδε, καὶ
μαστεύει τροφήν, καὶ οὐκ ἀτυχεῖ αὐτῆς. καὶ
ἑκάστη δὲ ἄρα εὑρίσκει τῶν ἔνδον, εἴτε ἐπ᾿ ὠδῖσιν
εἴη εἴτε ἤδη λεχώ, φυκία πολλὰ τῶν ἐν ταῖς ὀπαῖς
καὶ περὶ τὰς πέτρας, & οἱ δεῖπνόν ἐστιν.

16. ᾿Ἐπιβουλεύειν ὃ κοσσύφῳ δ΄ δεινὸς ἁλιεὺς
, / ? f 7 4 +. 3 fA
ἐφαρμόσας ἀγκίστρῳ μόλυβδον βαρὺν Kat eveipas

τῷ ἀγκίστρῳ καρίδα μεγάλην καθίησι τὸ δέλεαρ.

1 ¢rais> add. H. 2 φαίην most MSS.
8 σηνάλλως A, καὶ ἄλλως μὲν οὖν most MSS,
4 Kayser: κράσει.

3°

ON ANIMALS, I. 14-15

14. The Wrasse has its haunts and resorts among The Wrasse

the rocks and near cavernous burrows. The males
all have many wives and resign the hollow places, as
though they were women’s chambers, to their brides.
This refinement in their mating, and the propensity
which they enjoy for having many wives one might
describe as characteristic of barbarians who luxuriate
in the pleasures of the bed, and (if one may jest on
serious subjects) as living like the Medes and Per-
sians. It is of all fishes the most jealous at all times,
but especially when its wives are producing their
young. (If by excessive use of these expressions
I make my discourse too wanton, the facts of
nature permit me to do things of that sort.) So the
females which are actually facing the strain of birth-
pangs remain quiet in their homes, while the male,
after the manner of a husband, stays about the
entrance to prevent any mischief from outside, being
anxious for his offspring. For it seems that he loves
even those that are yet unborn, and it is his fatherly
concern that causes him these early fears; he even
spends the whole day without touching food: his care
sustains him. But as the afternoon grows late, he
relinquishes his forced watch and seeks for food,
which he does not fail to find. But of course each of
the females within, whether in the act of giving birth
or after it, finds a quantity of seaweed in the hollow

places and about the rocks, and this is their meal.

15. A fisherman who is skilled in angling a Wrasse The Wrasse,

fastens a heavy piece of lead to his hook, wraps
round it a large prawn, and drops the bait. And then

5 Jac: ἐπιβουλεύων. 6 κοσσύφου θήρᾳ.

AELIAN

καὶ ὁ μὲν ὑποκινεῖ τὴν ὁρμιὰν «ἐγείρων τε καὶ
θήγων ἐ ἐς τὴν τροφὴν τὸ θήραμα, ἡ ἡ καρὶς δὲ κινου-
μένη εἶτα μέντοι δόξαν τινὰ ἀποστέλλει μελλούσης
ἐς τὰς ὁπὰς τὰς τοῦ κοσσύφου παριέναι. τῷ δὲ
ἄρα. τοῦτο ἔχθιστον" καὶ διὰ ταῦτα αἰσθανόμενος,
ὡς ἔχει θυμοῦ,“ ὃ ἵεται ἀφανίζειν τὴν ἐχθίστην ὃ (οὐ
γάρ οἱ μέλει τῆς γαστρὸς τηνικαῦτα), καὶ συνθλά-
σας αὐτὴν ἀπαλλάττεται, προτιμότερον τροφῆς καὶ
πρεσβύτερον τὸ μὴ. κατακοιμίσαι τὴν φυλακὴν πεπι-
στευκὼς εἶναι. τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ὅταν τι μέλλῃ τῶν
προσπιπτόντων ἐσθίειν, ὑποθλάσας εἶτα εἴασε
κεῖσθαι: καὶ ἰδὼν τεθνηκός, 5 ἐξ αὐτοῦ τρώγει ἤδη.
οἱ δὲ θήλεις κόσσυφοι, ἕως μὲν ἄρρενα ὁρῶσι προ-
ασπίζοντα, ὡς ἂν εἴποις, μένουσιν ἔνδον καὶ τὸ
τῆς οἰκουρίας φυλάττουσι σχῆμα. ὅταν δὲ ἀφανι-
σθῇ, ἀλύουσιν αἵδε, προάγει TE αὐτὰς καὶ ἐξάγει ἡ ἡ
ἀθυμία καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἑαλώκασι. τί πρὸς ταῦτα
(οἷ) Ξ ποιηταὶ λέγουσιν οἱ τήν τε Εὐάδνην ἡμῖν
β τὴν Ἴφιδος καὶ τὴν ΓΑλκηστιν τὴν Πελίου παῖδα
ἐνδόξως θρυλοῦντες ὅ;

16. Πατὴρ δὲ ἐν ἰχθύσιν 6 γλαῦκος οἷός ἐστι.
τὰ γεννώμενα ἐκ τῆς συννόμου παραφυλάττει 5

τοῦ θυμοῦ.

ἀφανίζειν τὴν ἐχθίστην] νομίζων ἐχθράν.
τεθνηκὸς ὅ ὅτε μὴ σπαίρει.

<ot> add. Jac.

Haupt: θρηνοῦντες.

6. Schn: παραφυλάττεται.

σι pm ΜΡ

4 Evadne, wife of Capaneus, one of the ‘Seven against
Thebes.” He was slain by Zeus, and when his body was on
the funeral pyre, E. leapt into the flames and perished at his
side.

ON ANIMALS I. 15-16

he moves the line a little, rousing and egging on his
prey to take the food, while the prawn by its move-
ment conveys the impression that it intends to enter

‘the Wrasse’s den. Now this the Wrasse greatly

resents, and therefore, as soon as he observes it, he
longs, such is his fury, to demolish the object of
his abhorrence, for he is not thinking of his appetite
at the moment; and when he has-crushed it, he.
moves off, considering it more honourable and more
important that the watchman should not be caught
napping than that he should be fed. But when he
intends to eat any other creature that comes his way,
he crushes it lightly and then lets it lie. As soon as
he sees that it is dead, then at length he nibbles
at it. But the female Wrasses, so long as they see
the male acting as their shield, so to say, ‘ remain
within and with the care of their household’ are
occupied. If however the male disappears, they
become distraught; their despondency leads them
to venture forth, and then they are caught.

What have the poets to say to this—our poets who
are for ever extolling Evadne,* the daughter of

Iphis, and Alcestis,? the daughter of Pelias ? |

16. Among fishes the ‘ Blue-grey’¢ is a model The
father. He maintains a strenuous watch over his ; fish Beaty

> Alcestis, wife of Admetus, undertook to die in ines of her
ee but was rescued by Heracles from the clutches of

° Not certainly identified.

VOL. I. Cc

AELIAN

ἰσχυρῶς, ἵνα ἀνεπιβούλευτά τε Kal ἀσινῆ ἧ. καὶ
ἕως μὲν φαιδρὰ καὶ ἔξω δέους διανήχεται, ὁ δὲ
τὴν φρουρὰν οὐκ ἀπολιμπάνει, ἀλλὰ πῇ μὲν οὐραγεῖ,
πῇ δὲ οὔ, ταύτην δὲ παρανήχεται τὴν πλευρὰν ἢ
ἐκείνην: ἐὰν δὲ τι δείσῃ τῶν + νηπίων, 6 δὲ χανὼν
ἐσεδέξατο τὸ βρέφος. εἶτα τοῦ φόβου παραδρα-
μόντος τὸν καταφυγόντα ἀνεμεῖ οἷον ἐδέξατο, καὶ
ἐκεῖνος πάλιν νήχεται.

“-ο ' , ’
17. Κύων δὲ θαλαττία τεκοῦσα ἔχει συννέοντα
4 7 32 λ 3 > 3 ἉἋ ὔ oA δὲ
7a σκυλάκια ἤδη καὶ οὐκ ἐς ἀναβολάς. ἐὰν δὲ
3 ͵ > 4
Selon τι τούτων, ἐς τὴν μητέρα ἐσέδυ αὖθις κατὰ
> vn , νον
τὸ ἄρθρον: εἶτα τοῦ δέους παραδραμόντος τὸ δὲ
x , >
πρόεισιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀνατικτόμενον αὖθις.

18. Θαυμάζουσιν ἄνθρωποι τὰς γυναῖκας ὡς
ἄγαν φιλοτέκνους- ὁρῶ δὲ ὅτι καὶ τεθνεώτων υἱῶν
ἢ θυγατέρων ἔζησαν μητέρες, καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τοῦ
πάθους εἰλήφασι λήθην τῆς λύπης μεμαρασμένης.
δελφὶς δὲ ἄρα θῆλυς φιλοτεκνότατος ἐς τὰ ἔσχατα

Ἁ Ἁ 7 Ὡ, 4

ξῴων ἐστί. τίκτει μὲν yap δύο... . ὅταν δὲ

“ : + oA “ f bh) -

ἁλιεὺς ἢ τρώσῃ τὸν παῖδα αὐτῆς τῇ τριαίνῃ ἢ τῇ
> oF ,ὔ

ἀκίδι βάλῃ. . 3 ἡ μὲν ἀκὶς τὰ ἄνω τέτρηται, καὶ

ἐνῆπται σχοῖνος μακρὰ αὐτῇ, οἱ δὲ ὄγκοι ἐσδύντες
ἔχονται τοῦ θηρός. καὶ ἕως μὲν ὦ ἔτι ῥώμης ὁ
δελφὶς ὁ τραυματίας μετείληχε, χαλᾷ ὁ ηρατὴς
τὴν σχοῖνον, ἵνα μή ποτε ἄρα ὑπὸ τῆς βίας ἀπορ-
᾿ ρήξῃ αὐτήν, καὶ γένηταί οἱ δύο κακώ, ἔχων τε
ἀπέλθῃ τὴν ἀκίδα 6 δελφὶς καὶ ἀθηρίᾳ περυπέσῃ

1. δείσῃ τῶν τι: ἢ.
~ ~ 7
2 καὶ συνεῖδε τῆν αἰτίαν add. L, del. H.

SY AE SOOT EN RELLY EST EDS IS SI EMS DR SEALE ta 6 NIL EL DEENA HI ELIE EIS GAN EEL ETH LENS NLLU LENNON MES RCSL UEIS BEALS EDIBLE

ON ANIMALS, I. 16-18

mate's offspring, to ensure that they are not attacked
or injured. And all the while that they are swim-
ming the sea happily and without fear he never
relaxes his vigilance, and sometimes brings up the

rear and sometimes does not, but swims by them now

on this side now on that. And if any of his young is
afraid, he opens his mouth and takes the baby in.
Later, when its fear has passed, he disgorges the one
that took refuge exactly as he received it, and it
resumes its swimming.

17. Directly the Dog-fish has produced its young, The Dog-

it has them swimming by its side, and there is no
delay. But if any one of them is afraid, it slips back
into its mother’s womb. Later, when its fear has
passed, it emerges, as though it were being born
again. |

18. Men admire women for their devotion to The Dolphin

their children, yet I observe that mothers whose sons
or whose daughters have died, continued to live and
in time forgot their sufferings, their grief having

abated. But the female Dolphin far surpasses all

creatures in its devotion to its offspring. It pro-
duces two....And when a fisherman either
wounds a young Dolphin with his harpoon or strikes
it with his barb ... The barb is pierced at the
upper end, and a long line is fastened to it, while
the barbs sink in and hold the fish. So long as the
wounded Dolphin still has any strength, the fisher-
man leaves the line slack, so that the fish may not
break it by its violence, and so that he himself may
not incur a double misfortune through the Dolphin

3 Lacunae. 4 μὲν ἀλγῶν.

PA EASENED ESL EHSEAM σον ἀρομυυνν σφ ιύενφε ο.

χίστου :

AELIAN

αὐτός" ὅταν δὲ αἴσθηται καμόντα καί πὼς παρει-
μένον ἐκ τοῦ “τραύματος, ἡσυχῆ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν ἄγει
τὴν ναῦν, καὶ ἔχει τὴν ἄγραν. ἡ δὲ μήτηρ οὐκ
ὀρρωδεῖ τὸ “πραχθέν, οὐδὲ ἀναστέλλεται δείσασα,
ἀλλ᾽ ἀπορρήτῳ φύσει τῷ πόθῳ τοῦ παιδὸς ἑ ἕπεται"
καὶ δείματα ὁπόσα ἐθέλεις εἰ ἐπάγοις, ἡ δὲ οὐκ

ἐκπλήττεται, τὸν παῖδα οὐχ ὑπομένουσα ἀπολιπεῖν

ἐν ταῖς φοναῖς 1 ὄντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτὴν
πατάξαι πάρεστιν" οὕτως ὁμόσε χωρεῖ τοῖς βάλ-
λουσιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀμυνουμένη. καὶ ἐκ τούτων
συναλίσκεται τῷ παιδί, σωθῆναι παρὸν καὶ ἀπελ-
θεῖν αὐτήν. εἰ δὲ ἄμφω τὰ ἔκγονα αὐτῇ παρείη,
καὶ νοήσειε τετρῶσθαι τὸν ἕτερον καὶ ἄγεσθαι, ὡς
προεῖπον, διώκει τὸν ὁλόκληρον καὶ ἀπελαύνει τὴν
τε οὐρὰν 3 ἐπισείουσα καὶ δάκνουσα τῷ στόματι,
καὶ φυσᾷ φύσημά τι. ἄσημον * μέν, A δύναται,
σύνθημα δὲ τῆς φυγῆς ἐνδιδοῦσα σωτήριον. καὶ ὃ
μὲν ἀπαλλάττεται, μένει δὲ αὐτὴ ὅ ἔστ᾽ ἂν αἱρεθῇ,
καὶ συναποθνήσκει τῷ ἑαλωκότι.

19. Ὃ βοῦς ὁ θαλάττιος ἐν πηλῷ τίκτεται, καὶ
ἔστιν ἐξ ὠδίνων βράχιστος, γίνεται δὲ ἐκ βρα-
μέγιστος. καὶ τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τὴν νηδὺν
λευκός ἐστι, τὰ νῶτα δὲ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον. καὶ τὰς
πλευρὰς μέλας δεινῶς. στόμα δὲ αὐτῷ ἐμπέ-

| pure σμικρόν, οἱ "δὲ ὀδόντες, μεμυκότος ὃ οὐκ ἂν

αὐτοὺς ἴδοις. ἔστι δὲ 9 μήκιστος καὶ πλατύτατος.

1 2. 3 LA
τοῖς φόνοις. ἀμυνομένη.

3 σῇ τε οὐρᾷ.
4 Reiske : φυσήματι ἀσήμῳ.
5 Schn: αὕτη.
6 Boaxtratos . . . τοῦ Bpaxtorov.

ΣΟ ΝΜ ΣΎΡΗ

Se 28 i LTD ESET ΣΟ

EEE AIELLO TEE

ON ANIMALS, I. 18-19

escaping with the barb and himself failing to catch
anything. As soon as he perceives that the fish is
tiring and is somewhat weakened by the wound, he
gently brings his boat near and lands his catch. But

the mother Dolphin is not scared by what has

occurred nor restrained by fear, but by a mysterious
instinct follows in her yearning for her child. And
though one confront her with terrors never so great,

she is still undismayed, and will not endure to desert
her young one which has come to a bloody end;

indeed, it is even possible to strike her with the hand,
so close does she come to the hunters, as though she
would beat them off. And so it comes about that
she is caught along with her offspring, though she
could save herself and escape. But if both her off-
spring are by her, and if she realises that one has

-been wounded and is being hauled in, as I said

above, she pursues the one that is unscathed and
drives it away, lashing her tail and biting her little
one with her mouth; and she makes a blowing sound
as best she can, indistinct, but giving the signal to
flee, which saves it. So the young Dolphin escapes,
while the mother remains until she is caught and dies
along with the captive.

19. The Horned Ray is born in the mud, and The Hornea
though at the time of birth it is very small, it grows ree

from that size to be enormous. Its belly beneath is
white; its back, its head, and its sides are a deep

black; its mouth however is small, and its teeth—
when it opens its mouth, you cannot see them.

? δεινῶς καὶ ἄναλκίς ἐστι.

8 Jac: μεμυκότες.
9 A fa
δὲ καί,

eA NFP

&
ἢ
ϊ
i
5
ἢ
;
:
ἢ
i
i
&

AELIAN

σιτεῖται μὲν οὖν καὶ τῶν ἰχθύων πολλούς, μάλιστα
δὲ σαρκῶν ἀνθρωπείων ἐσθίων ὑπερήδεται. σύνοιδε
δὲ αὑτῷ ὅτι ῥώμην ἥκιστός ἐστι, μόνῳ δὲ ἐπιθαρ-
pel τῷ μεγέθει. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὅταν ἴδῃ τινὰ ἢ
νηχόμενον ἢ ὑποδυόμενον 1 ἐν ταῖς ὑδροθηρίαις, μετε-
ὠρίσας ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἐπικυρτώσας ἐπινήχεταί ot?
βαρὺς ἄνω ἐγκείμενός τε καὶ πιέζων καὶ ἐπαρτῶν

"ὃ “ 7 8 δ 7 4 ~ - - 7
ειμᾶ Tt, υπερτετασας TO Tav OWL TH δειλαίῳ

e 7 > ~ ld A > ~

ὡς στέγην, avadivat τε καὶ ἀναπνεῦσαι κωλύων
f rr = / ΄-

αὐτόν. οὐκοῦν ἐπισχεθέντος οἱ τοῦ πνεύματος, ὃ

g ,ὔ = > f > θ 7 ε ὃ \ 5 4 37 ~
μέν, οἷα εἰκὸς, ἀποῦνησκει, O OE ἐμπεσὼν EXEL TNS

παραμονῆς μισθὸν ὃ μάλιστα λιχνεύει * δεῖπνον.

20. Τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τῶν φδικῶν ὃ [ὀρνέων] ὃ εὐστομεῖ

; “ ᾽

καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ φθέγγεται δίκην ἀνθρώπου: οἱ δὲ

τέττιγες κατὰ τὴν ἰξύν εἰσι λαλίστατοι. καὶ συτοῦν-

\ ao ὃ ‘4 ‘ δὲ > ]- >. AHO

ται μὲν τῆς δρόσου, τὰ δὲ ἐξ ἕω ἐς πλήθουσαν
> Ἁ ~ ΜᾺ

ἀγορὰν σιωπῶσιν, ἡλίου δὲ ὑπαρχομένου τῆς

᾿ ΄-ὦ 4 > ~ “

ἀκμῆς, τὸν ἐξ ἑαυτῶν μεθιᾶσι κέλαδον, φιλόπονοί

τινες ὡς ἂν εἴποις χορευταί, ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καὶ
al ? A ~ “~

τῶν παρανεμόντων Kal τῶν ὁδῷ. χρωμένων καὶ
~ 3 ~

τῶν ἀμώντων KaTddovTes. καὶ τοῦτο μὲν TO

7 3} “ ele e / 7 A
φιλόμουσον ἔδωκε τοῖς ἄρρεσιν ἡ φύσις: τέττιξ δὲ
θήλεια ἄφωνός ἐστι, καὶ ἔοικε σιωπᾶν δίκην νύμφης

αἰδουμένης.

21. Ὑφφαντικὴν καὶ ταλασίαν τὴν θεὸν τὴν
a ;

Ἔργάνην ἐπινοῆσαί φασιν ἄνθρωποι: τὴν δὲ apax-
᾿ A > ;
viv ἡ φύσις σοφὴν ἐς ἱστουργίαν ἐδημιούργησε.
καὶ φιλοτεχνεῖ οὐ κατὰ μίμημα, οὐδὲ ἔξωθεν
1 ὑποδυόμενον Post, cp. 1. 44, πονούμενον Mss, H.

2 ξ 4 3 “ “ 3 fa
οἱ καὶ ἐλλοχᾷ. Jac: δείματι.

ths

see

1 AE STIS REN ES EEN Sich lot tannin Σι υνκύνυνν δε κτλ, ba sip

a 7 er at Ἂ ; ἘΣ
ΒΒ,

τ
%

ON ANIMALS, I. 19-21

Further, it is exceedingly long and flat. While on
the one hand it feeds upon a great number of fish,
yet its chief delight is to eat the flesh of man. It is
conscious of its very small strength: only its great
size gives it courage. Hence when it sees a man
swimming or diving to catch something in the water,
it rises and arching its body attacks him, pressing
upon him from above with all its weight; and while
causing terror to fasten upon him, the Ray extends
all its body over the wretched man like a roof and
prevents him from reaching the surface and breath-
ing. When therefore his breathing is arrested, the
man naturally dies, and the Ray falls upon him and
in the feast which it most greedily desires reaps the
reward of its persistence.

20. All other songsters sing sweetly and use their The Cicada

tongue to utter, as men do, but Cicadas produce
their incessant chatter from their loins. They feed
upon dew, and from dawn until about midday remain |
silent. But when the sun enters upon his hottest
period, they emit their characteristic clamour—in-
dustrious members of a chorus, you might call them
—and from above the heads of shepherds and
wayfarers and reapers their song descends. This
love of singing Nature has bestowed upon the males,
whereas the female Cicada is mute and appears as
silent as some shamefast maiden. | ᾿

91. Men say that it was the goddess Ergane who
invented weaving and spinning, but it was Nature
that trained the Spider to weave. The practice of
its craft is not due to any imitation, nor does it

5 Bochart: ᾿Ινδικῶν.

4 Reiske: ἀνιχνεύει.
? Reiske: νῆμα.

8 (épvéwr] del. Warmington.

AELIAN —

λαμβάνει {τὸ} νῆμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας νηδύος
τοὺς μίτους ἐξάγουσα εἶτα μέντοι τοῖς κούφοις τῶν
πτηνῶν θήρατρα dmodaiver, ὡς δίκτυα ἐκπεταν-
νῦσα. καὶ dv ὧν ἐξυφαίνει παρὰ τῆς γαστρὸς
λαβοῦσα." διὰ τῶνδε ἐκείνην ἐκτρέφει πάνυ pia ερ-
γοῦσα, ὡς καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν τὰς μάλιστα εὔχειρας

καὶ νῆμα ἀσκητὸν EK TOV OL δεινὰς μὴ ἀντιπαρα- |

| βάλλεσθαι: νενίκηκε γὰρ τῇ λεπτότητι καὶ ὙΠ

τρίχα.

22. Βαβυλωνίους τε καὶ Χαλδαίους. σοφοὺς τὰ
οὐράνια ᾷδουσιν οἱ συγγραφεῖς: μύρμηκες. δὲ οὔτε
ἐς οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέποντες οὔτε 3 ras “τοῦ μηνὸς
ἡμέρας ἐπὶ δακτύλων ἀριθμεῖν ἔ ἔχοντες. ὅμως δῶρον
ἐκ φύσεως εἰλήχασι παράδοξον" τῇ γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ
μηνὸς τῇ νέᾳ ἔσω τῆς ἑαυτῶν στέγης οἰκουροῦσι,
τὴν ὀπὴν οὐχ ὑπερβαίνοντες ἀλλὰ ἀτρεμοῦντες.

23. Οἰκία τῷ σαργῷ τῷ ἰχθύι πέτραι ὁ τε καὶ
σήραγγες, ἔχουσαι μέντοι ᾿διασφάγας μικρὰς, ὡς
αὐγὴν ἡλίου 6 κατιέναι καὶ , φωτὸς ὑποπιμπλάναι
τὰς διαστάσεις τάσδε' χαίρουσι γὰρ of σαργοὶ
φωτὶ μὲν παντί, τῆς δὲ ἀκτῖνος τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ
μᾶλλον Subdow. οἰκοῦσι δὲ ἐν ταὐτῷ πολλοί:
δίαιται δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἤθη 1 τὰ τῆς θαλάττης
βράχη, καὶ τῇ γῇ γειτνιῶσι μάλα ἀσμένως.
φιλοῦσι δέ πως ὃ αἶγας ἰσχυρῶς. ἐὰν “γοῦν πλησίον
τῆς ἠόνος νεμομένων ἡ σκιὰ “μιᾶς 7 δευτέρας ἐν
τῇ θαλάττῃ φανῇ, οἱ δὲ ἀσμένως προσνέουσι καὶ

1 ςτόΣ add. Η. ΝΣ Reiske : ἕλκουσα.

ὃ οὐδέ. - 4 πέτρα.
5 μικρὰς καὶ τὰς διαστάσεις, v.1. μ. καὶ διεστώσας.

SoS i SRE LAE SEEM A GEES EES ENS TERY RB ee STO ρον τ τος

|
|
|
/
|

ON ANIMALS, I. 21-23

obtain spinning matter from any external source, but
produces the threads from its own belly and then
contrives snares for flimsy winged creatures, spread-
ing them like nets; and it derives its nourishment
from the same material that it extracts from its belly
and weaves. It is so extremely industrious that not
even the most dextérous women, skilled at elaborat-
ing wrought yarn, can be compared to it: its web is
thinner than hair.

22. Historians praise the Babylonians and Chal- The Ant

daeans for their knowledge of the heavenly bodies.
But Ants, though they neither look upwards to the
sky nor are able to count the days of the month on
their fingers, nevertheless have been endowed by
Nature with an extraordinary gift. Thus, on the
first day of the month they stay at home indoors,
never quitting their nest but remaining quietly
within. ,

23. The fish known as the Sargue has its home The Sargue

among rocks and hollows, which however have in
them narrow clefts so that the rays of the sun can
penetrate within and fill these fissures with light.
For Sargues like all the light there is, but have an
even greater craving for the sunbeams. They live
in great numbers in the same place, and their usual
haunts are the shallows of the sea, and they particu-
larly like to be near the land. For some reason they

have a strong affection for goats. At any rate if the

shadow of one or two goats feeding by the sea-shore

fall upon the water, they swim in eagerly and spring

8 ἡλίου τε. ? ἕλη. 8 πῶς τῶν ἀλόγων.

AELIAN:

Ε] Fon! 6 δὸὃ 7 ᾿ A FA ᾿ θ ~ '

ἀναπηδῶσιν, ὡς ἡδόμενοι, καὶ προσάψασθαι τῶν

αἰγῶν ποθοῦσιν ἐξαλλόμενοι, καίτοι οὐ πάνυ τι

of ζ 4 X ¥ 7 x \ e \

ὄντες ἁλτικοὶ THY ἄλλως: νηχόμενοι. δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ

“ “ ~ > A 3 “~ 7 ξ

τοῖς κύμασιν ὅμως τῆς τῶν αἰγῶν ὀσμῆς ἔχου-
3 λ΄. 485 “ὃ ΄' : λθ “ 1 > 3 > A

ow αἴσθησιν, καὶ ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς προελθεῖν * ἐπ΄ αὐτὰς
, 3 > -'

σπεύδουσιν. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν δυσέρωτές " εἰσιν, ἐξ ὧν
“ Ἁ A

ποθοῦσιν ἐκ τούτων ἁλίσκονται. ἁλιεὺς yap ἀνὴρ

“A 4 road a

αἰγὸς Sopa ἑαυτὸν περιαμπέχει, σὺν αὐτοῖς τοῖς κέ-
~ / i δ᾽ \

pact δαρείσης αὐτῆς" λαμβάνει <dé>% apa τὸν

' , ¢ x ~ ᾿;

ἥλιον κατὰ νώτου ἐπιβουλεύων ὁ θηρατὴς TH ἄγρᾳ,

“A ft > ,ἃ 9 lon e

εἶτα καταπάττει τῆς θαλάττης, bp ἣν οἰκοῦσιν οἱ

προειρημένοι, ἄλφυτα αἰγείῳ ζωμῷ διαβραχέντα.
, , “-

ἑλκόμενοι δὲ Of σαργοὶ ὡς ὑπὸ τινος ἴυγγος τῆς
3

ὀσμῆς THs προειρημένης προσίασι, Kal συτοῦνται μὲν

τῶν ἀλφίτων, κηλοῦνται δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς Sopas.* αἱρεῖ ®

on - 4 “a
δὲ αὐτῶν πολλοὺς ἀγκίστρῳ σκληρῷ Kat ὁρμιᾷ
,ὔ —- Laan ; Xv > \ / > A
λίνου λευκοῦ: ἐξῆπται δὲ οὐχὶ καλάμου, ἀλλὰ
ῥάβδου κρανείας" δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ἐμπεσόντα ἀνασπά-.

ta Ὁ A 4 LAA > (ξ θ - =
σαι ῥᾷστα, wa μὴ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐκταράξῃ. Unpwy

ται δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ χειρός, ἐάν τις τὰς ἀκάνθας, ἃς
ἐγείρουσιν ἐς τὸ ἑαυτοῖς ἀμύνειν, ἐς τὸ κάτω μέρος
ἀπό γε τῆς κεφαλῆς ἡσυχῆ κατάγων εἶτα κλίνῃ
καὶ πιέσας τῶν πετρῶν ἐκσπάσῃ, ἐς ἃς ἑαυτοὺς
ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαθεῖν ὠθοῦσιν.

24. Ὃ ἔχις περιπλακεὶς τῇ θηλείᾳ μίγνυται: ἡ
δὲ ἀνέχεται τοῦ νυμφίου καὶ λυπεῖ οὐδὲ ἕν. ὅταν
δὲ πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῶν ἀφροδισίων ὦσι, πονηρὰν

~ ’
ὑπὲρ τῆς ὁμιλίας τὴν φιλοφροσύνην ἐκτίνει ἡ
2 ἐς τὰ προειρημένα δυο-.

1 Abresch: προσ-.
4 ὃ, βλεπομένης ὡς αἰγός.

8. δέ» add. Η.

5 αἱρεῖται.

ΤΟΣ Shine wae 5.5; δὴν Sy Etats ΣΟ δὴν ἀν τ;
EA ERD ΡΤ ἘΣ ΣΉ ANU TELE OCI SETE PONMT MITTS OHI AT ETOSOTEF EERO ADSI A LCE PULTE ERT TACO PET OUTSOLE

SSUES ον τς ΩΣ ΩΣ Ως ELSI ay

τε ieee RITA ETA Sac Sis endchenmetite ober ot ein ΠΣ τας:

ON ANIMALS, I. 23-24

up as though for joy, and in their desire to touch the
goats they leap out of the water, though they are
not in a general way given to leaping. And even
when swimming below the waves they are sensible
of the goats’ smell, and for delight in it press in to
be near them. Now since they are thus love-sick,
the object of their love is the means of their capture.

Thus, a fisherman wraps himself in a goatskin which how caught

has been flayed with the horns. Stalking his prey,
the hunter gets the sun behind him and then sprinkles
on the water beneath which the aforesaid fish live,

_barley-groats soaked in broth of goats’ flesh. And

the Sargues, attracted by the aforesaid smell as
though by some charm, approach and eat the barley-
groats and are fascinated by the goatskin. And
the man catches them in numbers with a stout
hook and a line of white flax attached not to a
reed but to arod of cornel-wood. For it is essential
to haul in the fish that has taken the bait very
quickly so as to avoid disturbing the others. They
are even to be caught by hand, if by gently
stroking the spines, which they raise in self-pro-
tection, from the head downwards one can lay them,
or by pressure draw the fish out of the rocks
into which they thrust themselves to avoid being
seen.

24,.The male Viper couples with the female by vipers ana

wrapping himself -round her. And she allows her
mate to do this without resenting it at all.” When
however they have finished their act of love, the

their mating

see
WELL TEE

PEELE
tee

TREES INIT EE EERE

AELIAN

νύμφη τῷ γαμέτῃ: ἐμφῦσα yap αὐτοῦ τῷ τραχήλῳ,
διακόπτει αὐτὸν αὐτῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ 6 μὲν τέθνηκεν,
ἡ δὲ ἔγκαρπον ἔχει τὴν μίξιν καὶ κύει. τίκτει δὲ
οὐκ wa, ἀλλὰ βρέφη, καὶ ἔστιν ἐνεργὰ ἤδη
(κατὰ)! τὴν αὑτῶν φύσιν τὴν κακίστην. διε-
σθίει γοῦν τὴν μητρῴαν νηδύν, καὶ πρόεισι πάραυ-
τα ὃ τιμωροῦντα τῷ πατρί. τί οὖν οἱ ᾿Ορέσται
καὶ ot ᾿Αλκμαίωνες πρὸς ταῦτα, ὦ τραγῳδοὶ

φίλοι;

‘ v “~ .
25. Τὴν ὕαιναν τῆτες μὲν ἄρρενα εἰ θεάσαιο, τὴν
> ἃ 3 , 2, “~ “~ -
αὐτὴν ἐς νέωτα ὄψει θῆλυν: εἰ δὲ θῆλυν νῦν, μετὰ
~ » --
ταῦτα ἄρρενα" κοινωνοῦσί τε ἀφροδίτης ἑκατέρας,
" > 3, ἶ

4 a of ~ ~
καὶ yapovot Te Kat γαμοῦνται, ava ἔτος πᾶν ἀμεί-
; 4 7 3 “~
Bovoat τὸ γένος. οὐκοῦν τὸν Kawéa καὶ τὸν Tes-

i > ? > / A ~ A 2

ρεσίαν ἀρχαίους ἀπέδειξε τὸ ζῷον τοῦτο οὐ

t 7, 4 A a ᾿ ᾿
κόμποις ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῖς.

20. Μάχονται μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν θηλειῶν ὡς ὑπὲρ
ὡραίων γυναικῶν καὶ ot τράγοι πρὸς τράγους καὶ
ot ταῦροι πρὸς ταύρους καὶ ὑπὲρ οἰῶν οἱ κριοὶ
πρὸς τοὺς ἀντερῶντας" ὀργῶσι δὲ ἐπὶ τὰς θηλείας
καὶ οἱ θαλάττιοι κάνθαροι. γίνονται δὲ ἐν τοῖς
καλουμένοις ἀσπροῖς ὃ χωρίοις, καὶ εἰσὶ ζηλότυποι,
καὶ ἴδοις ἂν μάχην ὑπὲρ τῶν θηλειῶν καρτεράν.
καὶ ἔστιν ὃ ἀγὼν οὐχ ὑπὲρ πολλῶν, ὡς τοῖς

1 «κατά add. H, 2 κατ᾽ αὐτά, v.l. κατὰ ταὐτά. :
8 λεπροῖς H after Jac. |

* Orestes slew his mother Clytemnestra in revenge for her
having slain his father Agamemnon.—Alemaeon slew his
mother Eriphyle who had ‘brought about the death of his
father Amphiaraus. | | ἜΣ

8
ΒῚ
3

= aN Leaked ABREU UE IE nih ce bm ante

BE ncn ney pinbdtnhanteh AM t—Plrte bth OA MAO. πῶς ὩΣ

ON ANIMALS, I. 24-26

bride in reward for his embraces repays her husband

with a treacherous show of affection, for she fastens
on his neck and bites it off, head and all. So he dies,
while she conceives and becomes pregnant. But she
produces not eggs but live young ones, which imme-
diately act in accordance with their nature at its
worst. At any rate they gnaw through their
mother’s belly and forthwith emerge and avenge
their father.

What then, my dramatist friends, have your
Oresteses * and your Alemaeons to say to this? |

25. Should you this year set eyes on a male Hyena,
next year you will see the same creature as a female ;

The Hyena

conversely, if you see a female now, next time you

will see a male. They share the attributes of
both sexes and are both husband and wife, chang-
ing their sex year by year. So then it is not
through extravagant tales but by actual facts
that this animal has made Caeneus ® and Teiresias
old-fashioned. -

96. As men fight for beautiful women, so do
animals fight for their females, goats with goats, bulls

The Black
Sea-bream

with bulls, and rams with their rivals in love for.

sheep. Even the Black Sea-bream wax wanton for
their females. They are born in what men call

rough places, and are jealous, and one may see them

fighting vigorously for their females. And they do
not contend for several, in the way that Sargues do,

> Caeneus, originally a girl named Caenis, was changed by
Poseidon into a man; after death he resumed his female
form. Teiresias likewise changed his sex twice, but the Hyena

does this every year.
45

NESS LES YENI

EERE TEA SLED RRO EEE

SLIP ESE RETYPE EGR SLIT PRISE ELLA IT

po te ma

jis

AELIAN

“A > 2 Κι᾿
σαργοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἰδίας συννόμου, ὡς ὑπὲρ
γαμετῆς τῷ Μενέλεῳ πρὸς τὸν Ἰ]άριν.

27. “Ἑστιᾶται μὲν (ἄλλαις »5 καὶ ἄλλαις τροφαῖς
¢€ / ~
6 πολύπους" ἔστι yap Kal φαγεῖν δεινὸς καὶ ἐπι-

βουλεῦσαι σφόδρα πανοῦργος" τὸ δὲ αὔτιον, παμβο--

ρώτατος θηρίων θαλαττίων ἐστί. καὶ ζὴἡὴ 55 ἀπό-
δειξις, εἴ τις αὐτῷ γένοιτο ἀθηρία, τῶν ἑαυτοῦ
πλοκάμων παρέτραγε, καὶ τὴν γαστέρα κορέσας
τὴν σπάνιν τῆς ἄγρας ἠκέσατο' εἶτα ἀναφύει τὸ
ἐλλεῖπον, ὥσπερ οὖν τῆς φύσεως τοῦτό 4 οἱ ἐν τῷ

ἴω ᾽ 4 al
᾿ λιμῷ παρασκευαζούσης ἕτοιμον τὸ δεῖπνον.

28. Ἵππος ἐρριμμένος σφηκῶν γένεσίς ἐστιν. ὃ
μὲν γὰρ ὑποσήπεται, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ μυελοῦ ἐκπέτονται
οἱ θῆρες οὗτοι, ὠκίστου ζῴου. πτηνὰ ἔκγονα, τοῦ
ἵππου οἱ σφῆκες.

29. Αἱμύλον ζῷον καὶ ἐοικὸς ταῖς φαρμακίσιν ἡ
~ \ “A
γλαῦξ. Kal πρώτους μὲν αἱρεῖ τοὺς ὀρνιθοθήρας

? / ~ \
ἡρημένη. περιάγουσι γοῦν αὐτὴν ὡς παιδικὰ ἢ
>

καὶ νὴ “Δία περίαπτα ἐπὶ τῶν ὦὥμων. καὶ νύκτωρ
μὲν αὐτοῖς ἀγρυπνεῖ καὶ τῇ φωνῇ οἷονεί τινι
ἐπαοιδῇ γοητείας ὑπεσπαρμένης αἱμύλου τε καὶ
θελκτικῆς τοὺς ὄρνιθας ἕλκει καὶ καθίζει πλησίον
ἑαυτῆς" ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θήρατρα ἕτερα τοῖς
ὄρνισι προσείει μωκωμένη καὶ ἄλλοτε ἄλλην ἰδέαν
προσώπου στρέφουσα, ὑφ᾽ ὧν κηλοῦνται ὅ καὶ
παραμένουσιν ἐνεοὶ 6 πάντες ὄρνιθες, ἡρημένοι δέει
καὶ μάλα γε ἰσχυρῷ ἐξ ὧν ἐκείνη μορφάζξει.

1 Reiske: o. ὁ πόλεμος. 2 <dhAas> add. H.

AIS RU LOA era RE GUN ESA sat cE LY DALLA EN ERED RESUS RS Ly

nN tt EES ELLER A δεν a a Fat ON ne δὴν

;
|
|

ON ANIMALS, 1. 26-29

but each for its own mate, just as Menelaus fought
for his wife with Paris.

27. The Octopus feeds first on one thing and then
on another, for it is terribly greedy and for ever
plotting some evil, the reason being that it is the
most omnivorous of all sea-animals. The proof of
this is that, should it fail to catch anything, it eats
its own tentacles, and by filling its stomach so, finds
a remedy for the lack of prey. Later it renews its
missing limb, Nature seeming to provide this as a
ready meal in times of famine. |

28. A horse’s carease is the breeding-place of The Wasp,
Wasps. For as the carcase rots, these creatures fly generated Ὁ

out of the marrow: the swiftest of animals begets
winged offspring: the horse, Wasps.

99. The Owl is a wily creature and resembles a The Ow!

witch. And when captured, it begins by capturing
its hunters. And so they carry it about like a pet
or (I declare) like a charm on their shoulders. By
night it keeps watch for them and with its call that
sounds like some incantation it diffuses a subtle,
soothing enchantment, thereby attracting birds to
settle near it. And even in the daytime it dangles
before the birds another kind of lure to make fools of
them, putting on a different expression at different
times; and all the birds are spell-bound and remain
stupefied and seized with terror, and a mighty terror
too, at these transformations.
| |

3 <4> add. H. 4 καὶ τοῦτο.

5 αἱροῦνται. 5. Hemst: ot νέοι.

The
Octopus

INL G ASAD ELL ESLER

nae

ΡΥ OO ECL KAN OLA EA
ea his BEES MEETS ORE TOLLIE AGES LOPE EI LIS ALINE

APSA eS thaadndn shinee cs

See

ΜΉ EOL ΠΡΟΣ ESS ADEE ISIE ACS SUSE EES ULES HDI:

beeatarens

AELIAN

30. Ὃ λάβραξ Kapidos ἥττηται, Kai εἴη adv, ἵνα
T καὶ παΐσας εἴπω, ἰχθύων ὀψοφαγίστατος.
οὐκοῦν ἕλειοι ὄντες τὰς ἑλείους ἐλλοχῶσιν. εἰσὶ
γὰρ τῷ γένει τριτταί: καὶ αἱ μὲν αὐτῶν οἵας
προεῖπον, at δὲ ἐκ φυκίων, πετραῖαί γε μὴν at
τρίται. ἀμύνεσθαι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀδυνατοῦσαι αἱροῦν-
ται συναποθνήσκειν. καὶ τό γε σόφισμα εἰπεῖν
οὐκ ὀκνήσω αὐτῶν. ὅταν γοῦν αἴσθωνται λαμβανό-
μεναι, τὸ ἐξέχον τῆς κεφαλῆς (ἔοικε δὲ τριήρους
ἐμβόλῳ καὶ μάλα γε ὀξεῖ, καὶ ἄλλως ἐντομὰς ἔχει
δίκην πριόνος) τοῦτο τοίνυν at γενναῖαι σοφῶς
ἐπιστρέψασαι πηδῶσί τε καὶ ἀναθόρνυνται κοῦφα
καὶ ἁλτικά. κέχηνε δὲ ὁ λάβραξ μέγα, καὶ ἔστιν
οὗ τὰ τῆς δέρης ἁπαλά. οὐκοῦν 6 μὲν συλλαβὼν
τὴν καρίδα καμοῦσαν οἴεται δεῦπνον ἕξειν, ἡ δὲ ἐν
ἐξουσίᾳ τε καὶ εὐρυχωρίᾳ σκιρτᾷ τῆς φάρυγγος ὡς
ἂν εἴποις καταχορεύουσα' εἶτα ἐμπήγνυται τῷ
δειλαίΐῳ θηρατῇ τὰ κέντρα, καὶ ἑλκοῦταί of τὰ
ἔνδον καὶ ἀνοιδήσαντα αἷμα ἐκβάλλει πολὺ καὶ
ἀποπνίγει, καὶ καινότατα δήπου ἀποκτείνασα
ἀνήρηται.

91. ᾽Ονύχων ἀκμαῖς καὶ ὀδόντων διατομαῖς θαρ-
ροῦσι καὶ ἄρκτοι καὶ λύκοι καὶ πάρδοι καὶ λέοντες"
τὴν δὲ ὕστριχα ἀκούω ταῦτα μὲν οὐκ ἔχειν, οὐ
μὴν ὅπλων ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀμυντηρίων ἀπολε-
λεῖφθαι ἐρήμην. τοῖς γοῦν ἐπιοῦσιν ἐπὶ λύμῃ
τὰς ἄνωθεν τρίχας οἱονεὶ βέλη ἐκπέμπει, καὶ
εὐστόχως βάλλει πολλάκις, τὰ νῶτα φρίξασα"

¢ YY ? ‘ , 2. αὶ
Va. οι εἴπω) cl Καὶ ΠΤαιϊσαξς ἐρὼ.
a

καὶ μέγα.

Ser Sorte ana nscegteiienternrettonnenatcie

ON ANIMALS, I. 30-31

30. The Basse is a victim of the Prawn and is in-
clined to be (if I may be allowed the jest) the greatest
gourmet among fish. So being lake-dwellers they

lie in wait for the lake Prawns. These are of three

kinds: the first are such as J have already mentioned ;
the second subsist on seaweed, while the third kind
live on the rocks. Being incapable of self-defence
against the Basse, they prefer to die along with it.

‘And I shall not hesitate to use the word ‘ stratagem’

ofthem. For instance, directly they realise that they
are being caught, these precious creatures adroitly
turn outwards the projecting portion of their head,
which resembles the beak of a trireme and is exceed-
ingly sharp and has moreover notches in it-like a
saw, and spring and leap lightly and nimbly about.

But the Basse opens its mouth wide, and the flesh

of its throat is tender. So the Basse seizes the
exhausted Prawn and fancies that.it is going to
make a meal of it. The Prawn however in this

ample space gambols about and dances in triumph,

so to say, over the Basse’s throat. Then it plants its
spikes in its unfortunate pursuer, whose inward
parts are thereby lacerated, so that they swell up
and discharge much blood and choke the Basse, until
in most novel fashion the slayer is himself slain.

31. Strength of claws and sharpness of fangs make

bears, wolves, leopards, and lions bold, whereas the

Porcupine, which (I am told) has not these advan-

_tages, none the less has not been left by Nature

destitute of weapons wherewith to defend itself.
For instance, against those who would attack it with
intent to harm it discharges the hairs on its body,

like javelins, and. raising the bristles on its back,

Basse and
Prawn

The —
Porcupine

AELIAN

ee a 4 > f
καὶ ἐκεῖναί ye πηδῶσιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἔκ τινος
"3 “~
ἀφειμέναι νευρᾶς.

2. Ἦ δεινὸν κακὸν καὶ νόσημα ἄγριον ἔχθρα
καὶ μῖσος συμφυές, εἴπερ οὖν καὶ τοῖς ἀλόγοις
ἐντέτηκε καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐστι δυσέκνιπτα. μύραινα
γοῦν πολύποδα “μισεῖ, καὶ πολύπους καράβῳ πολέ-
μιος, καὶ, μυραίνῃ κάραβος ἔχθιστός ἐ ἐστι. μύραινα
μὲν γὰρ ταῖς ἀκμαῖς τῶν ὀδόντων τὰς πλεκτάνας
τῷ πολύποδι διακόπτει, εἶτα “μέντοι καὶ ἐς τὴν
γαστέρα ἐσδῦσα αὐτῷ τὰ αὐτὰ δρᾷ, καὶ εἰκότως"
ἡ μὲν γὰρ νηκτική, ὃ δὲ ἐ ἔοικεν ἕρποντι: εἰ δὲ καὶ
τρέποιτο τὴν χρόαν κατὰ τὰς πέτρας, ἔοικεν αὐτῷ
τὸ σόφισμα συμφέρειν + οὐδὲ ἕν τοῦτο' ἔστι γὰρ
συνιδεῖν ἐκείνη δεινὴ τοῦ ξῴου τὸ παλάμημα.
τούς γε “μὴν καράβους αὐτοὶ = συλλαβόντες ἐς
πνῖγμα, ὅταν νεκροὺς ἐργάσωνται, τὰ κρέα ἐκμυ-
ζῶσιν αὐτῶν. κέρατα δὲ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ κάραβος
ἀνεγείρας καὶ θυμωθεὶς ἐς αὐτά, προκαλεῖται μύ-
ραιναν οὐκοῦν ἡ μὲν τοῦ ἀντιπάλου τὰ κέντρα,
ὅσα οἱ προβέβληται, ταῦτα οὐκ ἐννοοῦσα κατα-
δάκνει: ὃ δὲ τὰς χηλὰς οἷονεὶ χεῖρας προτείνας,
τῆς δέρης παρ᾽ ἑκάτερα ἐγκρατῶς ἐχόμενος οὐ
μεθίησιν: ἡ δὲ ἀσχάλλει καὶ ἑαυτὴν ἑλίττει καὶ
περιβάλλει τῶν ὀστράκων ταῖς ἀκμαῖς, ὧνπερ οὖν
ἐς αὐτὴν πηγνυμένων μαλκίει * τε καὶ ἀπαγορεύει,
Kat τελευτῶσα παρειμένη κεῖται: 6 δὲ τὴν
ἀντίπαλον ποιεῖται δεῖπνον.

3. Triller: αἱρεῖν.
2 αὐτοί corrupt, H.
3 uw. Kal ὡς εἶναι κατὰ γυναῖκα ὠργισμένην.

ON ANIMALS, I. 31-32

frequently makes a good shot. And these hairs leap

forth as though sped from a bowstring.

32. Enmity and inborn hate are a truly terrible Mutual
affliction and a cruel disease when once they have yous,”
sunk deep into the heart even of brute beasts, and snd Gr a
nothing can purge them away. For instance, the ἡ
Moray loathes the Octopus, and the Octopus is the
enemy of the Crayfish, and to the Moray the Cray-
fish is most hostile. The Moray with its sharp teeth
cuts through the tentacles of the Octopus, and then Moray and
boring into its stomach does the same thing—and °?"s
very properly, for the Moray swims, while the
Octopus is like some creeping thing. And even
though it changes its colour to that of the rocks,
even this artifice seems to avail it nothing, for the
Moray is quick to perceive the creature's stratagem.

As to the Crayfish, the Octopuses strangle them Octopus an
with their grip, and when they have succeeded in ~~ ue
killing them, they suck out their flesh. But against
the Moray the Crayfish raises its horns and with Morey and
fury in them challenges it. Thereupon the Moray “%**
imprudently tries to bite the prickles which its
adversary has thrust forward in self-defence. But
the Crayfish reaches out its claws like two hands, and
clinging firmly to the Moray’s throat on either side,
never relaxes its hold, while the Moray in its distress
writhes and transfixes itself on the points of the Cray-
fish’s shell; and as these are planted in it, it grows ᾽
numb and gives up the struggle, finally sinking in’
exhaustion. And the Crayfish makes.a meal off its
adversary.

4 μαλακιεῖ.
51

AELIAN

, 38. Τὴν μύραιναν ᾿ τὸν ἰχθὺν τρέφει τὰ πελάγη.
ὅταν δὲ αὐτὴν τὸ δίκτυον περιλάβῃ, διανήχεται
καὶ ζητεῖ ἢ βρόχον ἀραιὸν ἢ ῥῆγμα τοῦ δικτύου
πάνυ σοφῶς: καὶ ἐντυχοῦσα τούτων τινὶ καὶ διεκ-
δῦσα ἐλευθέρα νήχεται αὖθις: εἰ δὲ τύχοι μία

- - > , \ ¢ “. ~
τῆσδε τῆς εὐερμίας, καὶ at λοιπαὶ ὅσαι τοῦ αὐτοῦ

] |

γένους συνεαλώκασι κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνης φυγὴν
e «Q 7 “~

ἐξίασιν, ws ὅδόν τινα λαβοῦσαι παρ᾽ ἡγεμόνος.

84, Τὴν σηπίαν ὅταν μέλλωσιν αἱρεῖν ὃ ot τούτων
ἀγαθοὶ θηραταί, συνεῖσα ἐκείνη παρῆκε τὸ ἐξ ἑαυ-
τῆς ἀπόσφαγμα," καὶ καταχεῖται ἑαυτῆς, καὶ περι-
λαμβάνει καὶ ἀφανίζει πᾶσαν, καὶ κλέπτεται τὴν

yw ¢ ¢
ὄψιν ὃ ἁλιεύς: καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐστιν, 6 δὲ οὐχ

¢ nw o~ ~

ὁρᾷ. τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ τῷ Αἰνείᾳ νέφος περιβαλὼν
4 3 ~

ἠπάτησε τὸν ᾿Αχιλλέα ὁ Ποσειδῶν, ws” Ὅμηρος λέγει.

35. Βασκάνων ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ γοήτων φυλάτ-
τεται καὶ τῶν ζῴων τὰ ἄλογα φύσει τινὶ ἀπορρήτῳ
καὶ θαυμαστῇ. ἀκούω γοῦν ὃ βασκανίας ἀμυντή-
ρίον τὰς. φάττας δάφνης κλωνία ἀποτραγούσας
λεπτὰ εἶτα μέντοι ταῖς ἑαυτῶν καλιαῖς ἐντιθέναι
τῶν νεοττίων φειδοῖ" ἰκτῖνοι δὲ ῥάμνον, κίρκοι δὲ
πικρίδα, αἵ γε μὴν τρυγόνες τὸν τῆς ἴρεως καρπόν,
ἄγνον δὲ κόρακες, οὗ δὲ ἔποπες τὸ ἀδίαντον, ὅπερ
οὖν καὶ καλλίτριχον καλοῦσί τινες, ἀριστερεῶνα δὲ
κορώνη, καὶ κιττὸν ἅρπη, καρκίνον δὲ ἐρῳδιός,

1 Ges: σφύ a Ἵ
3 Reise? Une “λαμβάνειν. eee
4 ὑπόσφαγμα H, cp. Hippon. 24(D?). 5 "οὖν.

4 The genus picris embraces a wide variety of plants; it
may here signify ox-tongue or chicory or endive or Urospermum
picrordes.

ON ANIMALS, I. 33-35

33. The fish known as the Moray lives in the sea, The Moray

and when the net encircles it, it swims hither and
thither, seeking with great cleverness some weak
mesh or some rent in the net. And when it has
found such a place, it slips through and swims free
once again. And if one of them has this good for-
tune, all the others of its kind that have been caught
along with it escape in the same way, as though
taking their direction from a leader. |

34. Whenever fishermen who are skilled in these The

matters plan to catch a Cuttlefish, the fish on realising
this emits the ink from its body, pours it over itself
and envelops itself so as to be entirely invisible.
The fisherman’s sight is deceived : though the fish is
within view, he does not see it. It was by veiling
Aeneas in such a cloud that Poseidon tricked Achilles,
according to Homer [1]. 20. 321-]. |

35, Even brute beasts protect themselves against
the eyes of sorcerers and wizards by some inexplic-
able and marvellous gift of Nature. For instance, I
am told that as a charm against sorcery ring-doves
nibble off the fine shoots of the bay-tree, and then
insert them in their nests as a protection for their.
young. Kites take buck-thorn, falcons picris, * while
turtle-doves take the fruit ® of the iris, ravens the
agnus-castus tree, but hoopoes maidenhair fern,
which some call ‘lovely hair’; the crow takes
veryain, the shearwater ¢ ivy, the heron a crab, the

> From Thphr. HP 8. 3. 4 ‘it appears that the buds of the
poplar were mistaken for fruit,’ Hort ad loc. So here perhaps

καρπός should be understood as the bud of the iris.
¢* "Anan... prob. shearwater, L-S?; but the meaning

is quite uncertain, cp. 12. 4.
53

ttlefish

Birds and
their pro-
tection
against
sorcery

ΟΣ ΚΔ): ον δεν OS EOE Ae Ae a a SA

. AELIAN

πέρδιξ δὲ καλάμου φόβην, θαλλὸν δὲ αἱ κίνλα
; ; ν, at κίχλ
μυρρίνης. προβάλλεται δὲ καὶ κόρυδος i ee

1 4
ἄετοι 1 <de>*® τὸν λίθον, ὅσπερ οὖν ἐξ αὐτῶν.

5 7 , f

ἀετίτης κέκληται. λέγεται δὲ οὗτος ὃ λίθος καὶ
i

γυναιξὶ κυοῦσαις ἀγαθὸν εἶναι, ταῖς ἀμβλώσεσι

πολέμιος ὦν.

36. Ὁ ἰχθὺς ἡ νάρκη ὅτου ἃ
᾿ ς ἡ νά ὲ Lehn?
ae ἰχθῦς ἢ νάρκη ὅτου dy καὶ προσάψηται
Ὡ αὐτῆς ὄνομα ἔδωκέ τε καὶ ναρκᾶν ἐποίησεν
\ ~ ‘
ἡ ἐᾷ ἐχενηὶς ἐπέχει τὰς ναῦς, καὶ ἐξ οὗ ποιεῖ
καλοῦμεν αὐτήν. j ἐ ἀλκυό
oi de Ὁ ὦ ἣν. κυούσης δὲ ἁλκυόνος ἵσταται
?
a δως ἄγη εἰρήνην δὲ καὶ φιλίαν ἄγουσιν
. Κύει Ὁ 0
: ᾿ , Κύει Oe ἄρα χειμῶνος μεσοῦντος, καὶ
Ἰ 5. ἢ τοῦ ἀέρος γαλήνη δίδωσιν εὐημερίαν, καὶ
ἀλκυονείας * τηνικάδε τῆς ὥρας & ἡμέ
πὰ ΟΣ é js wpas ἄγομεν ἡμέρας.
Xvos ve Λύκου πατεῖ κατὰ τύχην ἵππος, καὶ νάρκη
> 7+ r
περιείληφεν αὐτόν. εἰ δὲ ὑπορρίψειας ἀστράγαλον
?
ὕκου τετρώρῳ * θέοντι, τὸ δὲ ὡς πεπηγὸς ἑστήξε-
ται, τῶν ἵππων τὸν ἀστράγαλον ΐ
New Be bo pay πατησάντων.
: ὕλλοις πρίνου τὸ ἴχνος ἐπιβάλλει, καὶ
φ } ᾿
ναρκᾷ' .. .° δὲ καὶ 6 λύκος, εἰ καὶ ud
σπελάσειε πετήλ ns. eae
τῷ “πετήλοις σκίλλης. ταῦτά τοι καὶ αἱ
λώπεκες ῷ Tas evvas τῶν λύκων ἐμβάλλουσι, καὶ
εἰκότως" id ‘ ‘ 3 >A 3 ͵ :
i διὰ γὰρ τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπιβουλὴν νοοῦσιν
ἔχθιστα αὐτοῖς.

e 4 |
37. rs πελαργοὶ λυμαινομένας αὐτῶν τὰ φὰ τὰς
νυκτερίδας ἀμύνονται πάνυ σοφῶς" αἱ μὲν γὰρ
1 αἰετοί MSS always. |
2 (δέ) add. Jac.
4 ὧν
| εὐημ. καὶ ἀλκ.] σωτηρίαν ἀλκυονίας.
Jac: καὶ τετρώρῳ. |

ao PLASEA SAUER ang TENSES (ADOW ASSL LS NSTI NLD SESSLER SIE δ REA IDISIEL

ON ANIMALS, I. 35-37

partridge the hairy head of a reed, thrushes a sprig
of myrtle. The lark protects itself with dog’s-tooth
grass; eagles take the stone which is called after
them aétite (eagle-stone). This stone is also said to
be good for women in pregnancy, as a preventive of

abortions.

36. The fish known as Torpedo produces the effect The |,
implied in its name on whatever it touches and
makes it ‘torpid’ or numb. And the Sucking-fish
clings to ships, and from its action we give it its
name, Ship-holder. |

While the Halcyon is sitting, the sea is still and the The
winds are at peace and amity. It lays its eggs about “*°™"
mid-winter; nevertheless, the sky is calm and brings |
fine weather, and it is at this season of the year that
we enjoy ‘ haleyon days.’ 3

If a horse chance to tread on the footprint of a Objects
Wolf, it is at once seized with numbness. If you Dea
throw the vertebra of a Wolf beneath a four-horse
team in motion, it will come to a stand as though
frozen, owing to the horses having trodden upon the
vertebra. Ifa Lion put his paw upon the leaves of an
ilex, he goes numb. <And the same thing happens
to) a Wolf, should he even come near the leaves of a
squill. And that is why foxes throw these leaves
into the dens of Wolves, and with good reason,
because their hostility is due to the Wolves’ designs’

upon them.

37, Storks have a very clever device for warding Prophyl- ὦ
off the bats that would damage their eggs: one by birds.
ne

5. Lacuna: ναρκᾷ πατῶν δὲ MSS, <vapka> Jac, ζὁμοίως» Η.

ον hon bt ean heen

FS he CSA ΤΑ LSS PLAS LD EEE LONE OL NG et LA A GE BASAL LE LE EES DEES SS
weseeaeaeni ENA ELASELA LUO STED SITET SEIS ED ASIDES IIE EOE TUM EVE SEALS ETI EEE SOLO LILES

| AELIAN

? , > A \
προσαψάμεναι μόνον ἀνεμιαῖα ἐργάξονται καὶ
ἄγονα αὐτά. οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐπὶ τού ἕρμακον

y . οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις φάρμακον

3 a + >
ἐκεῖνό ἐστι. πλατάνου φύλλα ἐπιφέρουσι ταῖς

mAh δ 4 é @ n~ 5
καλιαῖς" at δὲ νυκτερίδες ὅταν αὐτοῖς γειτνιάσωσι,
᾿ - ᾿ , - ,
ναρκῶσι καὶ γίνονται λυπεῖν ἀδύνατοι. δῶρον δὲ

“ἢ e , 7 a
apa ἡ φύσις Kat ταῖς yeAddow ἔδωκεν οἷον. af

σίλφαι καὶ τούτων τὰ Wa ἀδικοῦσιν. οὐκοῦν af
μητέρες σελίνου κόμην προβάλλονται τῶν βρεφῶν,
καὶ ἐκείναις τὸ ἐντεῦθεν aBard ἐστι. πολύποσι δὲ
εἴ τις ἐπιβάλοι : πήγανον, ἀκίνητοι μένουσιν, ὡς
λέγει τις λόγος. ὄφεως δὲ εἰ καθίκοιο καλάμῳ,
μετὰ τὴν πρώτην πληγὴν ἀτρεμεῖ. καὶ νάρκῃ ?
πεδηθεὶς ἡσυχάζει: εἰ δὲ ἐπαγάγοις 8 δευτέραν ἢ
τρίτην, ἀνέρρωσας αὐτόν. καὶ μύραινα δὲ πληγεῖσα
νάρθηκι ἐς ἅπαξ ἡσυχάζει: εἰ δὲ πλεονάκις, ἐς
θυμὸν ἐξάπτεται. λέγουσι δὲ ἁλιεῖς καὶ πολύποδας

> + Dae “ wf 3 ’ -
ἐς τὴν γῆν προϊέναι, ἐλαίας θαλλοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς ἠόνος.
ν

’ὔ ὔ 4 > >
κειμένου. θηρίων δὲ ἀλεξιφάρμακον ἦν dpa πάν-
7 ἃ 2 ᾿ ; Ἢ
των πιμελὴ ἐλέφαντος, ἣν εἴ τις ἐπιχρίσαιτο, καὶ εἰ
“~ > 7
γυμνὸς ὁμόσε χωροΐη τοῖς ἀγριωτάτοις, ἀσινὴς
ἀπαλλάττεται.

ν᾿
38. ᾿Ορρωδεῖ ὁ ἐλέφας κεράστην κριὸν καὶ χοί-
ρου βοήν. οὕτω ty καὶ “ i ss σὺν
οὐ βοήν. οὕτω τοι, φασί, καὶ “Ῥωμαῖοι τοὺς σὺν
Πύρρῳ τῷ Ηπειρώτῃ ἐτρέψαντο ἐλέφαντας, καὶ
iy vikn ody Tols Ῥωμαίοις λαμπρῶς ἐγένετο.
γυναικὸς <de>* ὡραίας τόδε τὸ ζῷον ἡττᾶται καὶ
: ἐπιβάλλει. ο 3 τῇ γάρκῃ. ᾿
τ Πρ ἢ ἐπάγοις. ᾿ φδέΣ add. H. -
“© Ld (vedere “ odckroach’ ‘in’ 1.159) here “vrobat
ἢ Liddy (rende - ere probabl
signifies. the dipterous insect Stenopteryx ἡ: “Most
56

ΜΙΝ στο cL RTOS DEEN OB LLL AS EELN LM OOL OLED TI DES TONIEPLAL ALE NAO ALLEN LESLEY τς
ΤΣ 2 - ΤΣ ΟΜ TLIO LIN TI LO OLI INR ATTN L SEI IOLT wees

i
ἕ
8
ἕ
g
|

ON ANIMALS, I. 37-38

touch from the bats turns them to wind-eggs and
makes them infertile. Accordingly, this is the
remedy they use to prevent this happening. They
lay the leaves of a plane-tree upon their nests, and.
directly the bats come near the storks, they are
benumbed and become incapable of doing harm.
On: swallows too Nature has bestowed a like gift:
cockroaches* injure their eggs. Therefore the
mother-birds protect their chicks with celery leaves,
and hence the cockroaches cannot reach them. If
one throws some rue upon an octopus it remains Effect of
immobile—so the story goes. If you touch a snake ἀρότου
with a reed, it will after the first stroke remain still, Sete
and in the grip of numbness will lie quiet; if how-
ever you repeat the stroke a second or a third
time, you at once revive its strength. The moray
too, if struck once with a fennel wand, lies still
the first time; but if struck several times, its anger
is kindled. Fisherfolk assert that even octopuses
come ashore if a sprig of olive is laid upon the
beach. :

It seems that the fat of an elephant is a remedy Blephant’s
against the poisons of all savage creatures, and if a i
man rub some on his body, even though he encounter
unarmed the very fiercest, he will escape unscathed.

38 (i). The Elephant has a terror of a horned ram The
and of the squealing ofapig. It was by these means, oo
they say, that the Romans turned to flight the perfumes
elephants of Pyrrhus of Epirus, and that the Romans

won a glorious victory. This same animal is over-

of the known Hippoboscidae live on birds and are apparently
specially fond of the Swallow tribe. They are all winged.’
D. Sharp, Insects, 519 (Camb. Nat. Hist. 6). a

yy e ἣν is ses

DRS TGA SELLS ERTL sig DIGG BTA M IG On AIEEE OTE PGES

AELIAN |

: ᾽ ~ “-
παραλύεται τοῦ θυμοῦ ἐκκωφωθὲν 1 ἐς τὸ κάλλος...

καὶ ἀντήρα φασὶν ἐν τῇ Αἰγυπτίᾳ ᾿Αλεξάνδρου
πόλει γυναικὸς στεφάνους πλεκούσης ᾿Αριστοφάνει
τῷ Βυζαντίῳ ἐλέφας.3 ἀγαπᾷ δὲ 6 αὐτὸς καὶ
εὐωδίαν πᾶσαν, καὶ μύρων καὶ ἀνθέων κηλούμενος
τῇ ὀσμῇ. , :
Οστις βούλεται κλὼψ ἢ λῃστὴς κύνας ἄγαν
ἀγριωτάτους κατασιγάσαι καὶ θεῖναι φυγάδας, ἐκ
πυρᾶς ἀνθρώπου δαλὸν λαβὼν ὁμόσε αὐτοῖς χωρεῖ,
φασίν. οἱ δὲ ὀρρωδοῦσιν. ἀκήκοα δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖνον
τὸν λόγον. λυκοσπάδα οἷν πέξας {τις »5 καὶ ἐριουρ-
γήσας καὶ χιτῶνα ἐργασάμενος λυπεῖ τὸν ἠσθημέ-
νον" ὀδαξησμὸν γὰρ ἐργάζεται, ὡς λόγος. ἔριν
δὲ εἴ τις καὶ στάσιν ἐθέλοι ἐν τῷ συνδείπνῳ
ἐργάσασθαι, δηχθέντα ὑπὸ κυνὸς λίθον ἐμβαλὼν
τῷ οἴνῳ λυπεῖ τοὺς συμπότας ἐκμαίνων. κανθά-
pots δὲ κακόσμοις θηρίοις εἴ τις ἐπιρράνειε 4
μύρου, οἱ δὲ τὴν εὐωδίαν οὐ φέρουσιν, ἀλλ᾽
ἀποθνήσκουσιν. οὕτω τοί φασι καὶ τοὺς βυρσο-
δέψας συντραφέντας ἀέρι κακῷ βδελύττεσθαι
μύρον. λέγουσι δὲ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ τοὺς ὄφεις
πάντας ἴβεων πτερὰ δεδιέναι.

“~ \ rg
39. Θηρῶσι τὰς τρυγόνας of ® τούτων ἀκρι-

~ 4 4 4 / ~ ?
᾿βοῦντες τὰ θήρατρα, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς πείρας οὐ

i 4 ~
διαμαρτάνουσι τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. ἑστήκασιν dp~

: ΘΕ ἐκκωφωθείς. 2 6 ἐλέφας..
Ν kris» add. Η. : 4 ἐπιρράναι,

ε 7
οι καὶ. ©

_ # Aristophanes of Byzantium, 3rd/2nd cent. Β.0., head of
the library at Alexandria, famous as grammarian, ireerary nad

ON ANIMALS, I. 38-39

come by beauty in a woman and lays aside its tem-
per, quite stunned by the lovely sight. And at
Alexandria in Egypt, they say, an Elephant was the
rival of Aristophanes of Byzantium ὦ for the love of
a woman who was engaged in making garlands.
The Elephant also loves every kind of fragrance and
is fascinated by the scent of perfumes and of flowers.

(ii) If some thief or robber wants to silence dogs How to
that are too fierce and to make them run away, he ie
takes a brand from a funeral pyre (they say) and
goes for them. The dogs are terrified. I have
heard too this story: if a man shears a sheep that
has been mauled by a wolf, and after working the
wool makes himself ἃ tunic, this will irritate him Aidehaey
when he puts it on. ‘He is weaving a gnawing itch
for himself,’ as the proverb has it.

(iii) If a man wants to bring about a quarrel] and Quarrel at
contention at a dinner-party, he will by dropping ΡΝ;
into the wine a stone that a dog has bitten, vex his
fellow-guests to the point of frenzy.

(iv) If a man sprinkle some perfume upon beetles, Scents
which are ill-smelling creatures, they cannot endure eerie
the sweet scent, but die. In the same way it is said
that tanners, who live all their life in foul air, detest
perfumes. And the Egyptians maintain that all

snakes dread the feathers of the ibis. .

39. Those who have a thorough understanding of The Sting-
the matter hunt Sting-rays,’ and it is chiefly in this ΤΕΥ

way that their efforts are successful. They take their

textual critic, especially in the field of Greek poetry. Wrote
an epitome of natural history based upon Aristotle; it in-

cluded ‘ paradoxa.’
ὃ Cp. 17. 18; τρυγών must here stand for τ. θαλαττία.

AELIAN. —

, " Ἢ ᾿ ~
χούμενοι Kat ἄδοντες εὖ μάλα μουσικῶς: αἱ δὲ

καὶ τῇ ἀκοῇ θέλγονται καὶ τῇ ὄψει τῆς ὀρχήσεως
κηλοῦνται καὶ προσίασιν ἐγγυτέρω. οἱ δὲ ὑπανα-
χωροῦσιν ἡσυχῆ καὶ βάδην, ἔνθα δήπου καὶ ὃ
δόλος ταῖς δειλαίαις πρόκειται, δίκτυα ἐκπεπτα-
μένα 1- εἶτα ἐμπίπτουσιν ἐς αὐτὰ καὶ ἁλίσκονται,
ὀρχήσει καὶ δῇ ἡρημέναι πρῶτον.

; 40. “Opxuvos ὄνομα κητώδης ἰχθὺς οὐκ ἄσοφος
ἐς τὰ αὑτοῦ λυσιτελέστατα, δῶρον λαχὼν φύσει
τοῦτο, οὐ τέχνῃ. ὅτὰν γοῦν περιπαρῇ τῷ ayKio~
Tew, καταδύει αὑτὸν és βυθὸν καὶ ὠθεῖ. καὶ
προσαράττει τῷ δαπέδῳ καὶ κρούει τὸ στόμα,
ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ ἄγκιστρον ἐθέλων: εἰ δὲ ἀδύνατον
τοῦτο εἴη," εὐρύνει 8 τὸ τραῦμα, καὶ ἐκπτύεται τὸ

λυποῦν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξάλλεται. πολλάκις δὲ οὐκ᾿

3 “~ / Δ ¢
ETUXE τῆς πείρας, Kat ὃ θηρατὴς ἄκοντα ἀνασπάσας

ἔχει τὴν ἄγραν.

41. Δειλότατος ἰχθύων ὃ μελάνουρος, καὶ ἔχει

ON ANIMALS, I. 39-41

_stand and dance and sing very sweetly. And the

Sting-rays are soothed by the sound and are charmed ©
by the dancing and draw nearer, while the men with-
draw gently step by step to the spot where of course
the snare is set for the wretched creatures, namely
nets spread out. Then the Sting-rays fall into them
and are caught, betrayed in the first instance by
the dancing and singing.

40. The Great Tunny, as it is called, is a monstrous The Great
fish and knows well what is best for it. This gift it ame

has acquired by nature and not by art. For instance,
when the hook has pierced it, it dives to the bottom

and thrusts and dashes itself against the ground,

striking its mouth in its effort to eject the hook. If
that fails, it widens the wound and disgorges the
instrument of pain and dashes away. Frequently
however it fails in the attempt, and the fisherman
draws up the reluctant creature and secures his catch.

41. The Melanurus is the most timid of fishes, and The

* Melanurus’?

τῆς δειλίας μάρτυρας τοὺς ἁλιεῖς. οὔτε γοῦν
to its timidity fishermen bear witness, for it is not (black-tail)

a 7 a. ᾿ αν
κύρτῳ λαμβάνονται οὗτοι, οὔτε προσίασιν αὐτῷ"

σαγήνη δὲ εἴ ποτε αὐτοὺς περιλάβοι,,2 of δὲ
ἀγνοοῦντες ἑαλώκασι. καὶ ὅταν μὲν ἢ ὑπεύδια καὶ
λεία ἡ θάλαττα, οἱ δὲ ἄρα κάτω που πρὸς ταῖς
πέτραις ἢ τοῖς φυκίοις ἡσυχάζουσι, καὶ προβάλ-
Aovrat πᾶν 6 τι δύνανται, τὸ σῶμα ἀφανίζοντες.
ἐὰν δὲ ἢ χειμέρια, τοὺς ἄλλους δρῶντες καταδύν-
τας. ἐκ τῆς τῶν κυμάτων προσβολῆς ἐς τὸν βυθόν,
2 Schn: ἧ.

4 περιβάλοι.

ἕ bi
1 ἐκπεπετασμένα.
3 εὐρύνει οὖν.

LULONEESAES LI AMO SEE EEE ELL ESEDE STEELS TOOSL EPP ELL EEL PT AIELLO
LPT LEELA SELEY

caught in weels nor does it go near them; but if by
chance a dragnet encircles it, then it is caught
without knowing it. And whenever the sea is fairly
calm and smooth, these fish lie quiet down below
upon the rocks or among the seaweed and cover
themselves as best they can, trying to conceal their
bodies. But if the weather is stormy, observing
other fish diving to the depths out of the buffeting
waves, they take courage and approach the shore,

AELIAN

ot δὲ ἀναθαρροῦσι,ἷ Kal τῇ γῇ προσπελάζουσι, καὶ
ταῖς πέτραις προσνέουσι, καὶ ἡγοῦνταί σῴισι
πρόβλημα ἱκανὸν εἶναι τὸν ὑπερνηχόμενον ἀφρὸν
καλύπτοντά τε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπηλυγάζοντα. συνιᾶσι
δὲ εὖ μάλα ἀπορρήτως ὅτι τοῖς ἁλιεῦσιν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ
τοίᾳ ἢ νυκτὶ ἐς τὴν θάλαττάν ἐστιν ἄβατα, ἀγριαι-
νούσης τῆς θαλάττης (καὶ " τῶν κυμάτων αἰρο-
μένων μετεώρων τε καὶ φοβερῶν. ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ
τροφὴν ἐν χειμῶνι, τοῦ κλύδωνος τὰ μὲν ἀ ἀποσπῶν-
τος ἐκ τῶν πετρῶν, τὰ δὲ ἐ ἐπισύροντος ἐκ τῆς γῆς"
σιτοῦνται δὲ μελάνουροι τὰ ῥυπαρώτερα καὶ ὅσα
οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως ἰχθὺς ἄλλος ἂν πάσαιτο, εἰ μὴ πάνυ

λιμῷ πιέζοιτο. ἐν γαλήνῃ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἄμμου

, : 7 3 “a
μόνης σαλεύουσι,3 καὶ ἐκεῖθεν βόσκονται. ὅπως δὲ
ξ a
ἁλίσκονται, ἐρεῖ ἄλλος.

42. "Aeros δὲ ὀρνίθων ὀξυωπέστατος. καὶ “Ὅμη-
ρος αὐτῷ σύνοιδε καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ μαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ
“Πατροκλείᾳ, εἰκάζων τὸν Μενέλεων τῷ ὄρνιθι, ὅτε
ἀνεζήτει ᾿Αντίλοχον, ἵνα ἄγγελον ἀποστείλῃ τῷ
᾿Αχιλλεῖ, πικρὸν μέν, ἀναγκαῖον δέ, ὑπὲρ τοῦ
πάθους τοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἑταῖρον αὐτοῦ, ὃν ἐξέπεμψε
μέν, οὐχ ὑπεδέξατο δέ, καΐτοι ποθῶν ἐκεῖνος
τοῦτο. λέγεται δὲ μὴ ἑαυτῷ μόνῳ χρήσιμος, ἀλλὰ
καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὀφθαλμοῖς ὃ ἀετὸς ἀγαθὸς 4 εἶναι.
εἰ γοῦν μέλιτί τις ᾿Αττικῷ τὴν χολὴν αὐτοῦ
διαλαβὼν ὅ ὑπαλείψαιτο δ ἀμβλυνόμενος, ὄψεται
καὶ ὀξυτάτους γοῦν ἰδεῖν ἕξει τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς.

1 ἀναθαρσοῦοσι.
8 Jac: ἁλιεύουσι.

5 dvadaBay? H.

2 <xati> add. Reiske.
4 Schn: ἀγαθόν.
8 ὑπαλείφοιτο.

SOME ALASSSVIPIIESS ON EER ESON GIR CLUS E ΛΜΝ

ΜΉ σοτεοεουυοεουἔοὁσἘιο ρρωεἔερἔΕέμ δα

ON ANIMALS, I. 41-42

swim close to the rocks, and fancy that the foam
floating overhead is sufficient protection while it
conceals and overshadows them. And they know in
some quite inexplicable way that for fishermen the

sea is unnavigable on such a day or such a night, as

it rages with the waves mounting to a terrifying
height. It is in stormy weather that they gather
their food, when the swell drags some off the rocks
and sucks some from the shore. The Melanuruses
feed off the foulest matter, such stuff as no other
fish would readily take, unless it were utterly over-
come by hunger. But in calm weather they have only
the sand to ride on, and from there they get their
food. But how they are captured another shall tell.

42. Among birds the Eagle has the keenest sight.
And Homer is aware of this and testifies to the fact
in the story of Patroclus when he compares Menelaus
to the bird [1]. 17. 674-], at the time when he was
searching for Antilochus, that he might despatch
him to Achilles as a messenger, unwelcome indeed
but necessary, to announce the fate that had be-
fallen his comrade, whom Achilles had sent out <to
battle) but never welcomed home again for all his
yearning. And the Eagle is said to serve not him-
self alone but to be good for men’s eyes as well. At
any rate, if a man whose sight is dim mix an Eagle's
gall with Attic honey and rub it <on his eyes), he
will see and will acquire sight of extreme keenness.

The Eagle,
its keen

sight

AELIAN

43. ᾿Αηδὼν ὀρνίθων λιγυρωτάτη τε καὶ εὐμου-
σοτάτη, καὶ κατάδει τῶν ἐρημαίων χωρίων
εὐστομώτατα ὀρνίθων καὶ τορώτατα. λέγουσι δὲ
καὶ τὰ κρέα αὐτῆς ἐς ἀγρυπνίαν λυσιτελεῖν.

πονηροὶ μὲν οὖν οἱ τοιαύτης τροφῆς δαιτυμόνες

καὶ ἀμαθεῖς δεινῶς" πονηρὸν δὲ τὸ ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς
δῶρον, φυγὴ ὕπνου, τοῦ καὶ θεῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπων

βασιλέως, ὡς Ὅμηρος λέγει.

44. Τῶν γεράνων at κλαγγαὶ καλοῦσιν ὄμβρους,
ὥς φασιν" ὁ δὲ ἐγκέφαλος γυναικῶν ἐς Χάριν
ἀφροδίσιον * ἔχει τινὰς ἴυγγας, εἴ tw? ἱκανοὶ
τεκμηριῶσαι οἱ πρῶτοι φυλάξαντες ταῦτα."

45. Γυπῶν πτερὰ εἰ θυμιάσειέ > τις, ὡς ἀκούω,

\ 3 ~ 4 3 κ] “- Α 2, 7
καὶ ἐκ φωλεῶν καὶ ἐξ εἰλυῶν τοὺς ὄφεις προάξει
ῥᾷστα.

Τὸ ζῷον ὁ ὁ δρυοκολάπτης ἐξ οὗ dpa? καὶ

κέκληται. ἔχει μὲν γὰρ ῥάμφος ἐπίκυρτον, κολά-
πτει δὲ ἄρα τούτῳ τὰς ρῦς, καὶ ἐνταυθοῖ ὃ ὡς
ἐς καλιὰν τοὺς νεοττοὺς ἐντίθησιν, οὐ δεηθεὶς
καρφῶν καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν πλοκῆς καὶ οἰκοδομίας
οὐδὲ ἕν. οὐκοῦν εἴ τις λίθον ἐνθεὶς ἐπιφράξειε τῷ
ὀρνέῳ τῷ προειρημένῳ τὴν ἔσδυσιν, ὁ ὁ δὲ συμβαλὼν
τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ᾿ κομίζει πόαν ἐχθρὰν τῷ λίθῳ
καὶ κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ τίθησιν" ὁ δὲ οἷα βαρούμενος καὶ

μὴ φέρων ἐξάλλεται, καὶ ἀνέῳγεν αὖθις τῷ προει-

ρημένῳ ἡ φίλη ὑποδρομή.

a εὐνουστάτη. 2 ἀφροδισίαν. 3 σπου.
4 αὐτά. δ θυμιάσαι.

ὃ χὸ ζῷον] ζῷον δέ. Ἰ Jac: ἄρα.

8 ὀργταυθοῖ κοιλάνας τὸν τόπον.

“a

ON ANIMALS, I. 43-45

43. Among birds the Nightingale has the clearest The ρας

and most musical voice, and fills solitary places with oe
its most lovely and thrilling note. Further, they
say that its flesh is good for keeping one awake.
But people who feast upon such food are evil and
dreadfully foolish. And it is an evil attribute of
food that it drives sleep away—sleep, the king of
gods and men, as Homer says [ZI. 14. 233].

44, The screaming of Cranes brings on showers, so The Crane
they say, while their brain possesses some kind of
spell that leads women to grant sexual favours—if
those who first observed the fact are sufficient
guarantee. ᾿

45. If a man burn the feathers of a Vulture (so I Vulture’s
am told), he will have no difficulty in inducing snakes mere
to quit their dens and lurking-places.

The bird ‘ Woodpecker ’ derives its name from what The ΤῸ
it does. For it has a curved beak with which it pecks :
oak-trees, and deposits its young in them as in a
nest; and it has no need at all of dry twigs woven
together or of any building. Now if one inserts a
stone and blocks up the entrance for the aforesaid
bird, it guesses that there is a plot afoot, fetches
some herb that is obnoxious to the stone, and places
it against the stone. The latter in disgust and un-
able to endure <the smell> springs out, and once
again the bird’s caverned home lies open to it.

9 2 5 λὴ 4] 3 > ”
ἐπιβουλὴν τὴν κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

VOL. 1. ' D

AELIAN | 7 | ON ANIMALS, I. 46-47

46. The Four-toothed Sparus is not solitary nor The Four-
toothed

; ς / b) 24 , \
46. Οἱ συνόδοντες οὐκ εἰσὶ μονίαι, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀπ’
does it endure loneliness and separation from its βρατὺβ

ἀλλήλων ἐρημίαν τε καὶ διαίρεσιν ἀνέχονται.
φιλοῦσι δὲ. συναγελάζεσθαι καθ᾽ ἡλικίαν. καὶ οἱ
μὲν νεώτεροι κατὰ ἴλας νήχονται, οἱ δὲ ἐντελέστε-
pot πάλιν κοινῇ" καὶ τὸ τοῦ λόγου τοῦτο HAE
ἥλικα καὶ ἐκεῖνοι τέρπουσι, παρόντες παροῦσιν ὡς
ἑταίροις καὶ φίλοις ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων.
τε καὶ διατριβῶν. τεχνάζονται δὲ πρὸς τοὺς
θηρατὰς ὁποῖα. ὅταν ἁλιεὺς ἀνὴρ τὸ ἐς αὐτοὺς
- δέλεαρ καθῇ, περιελθόντες πάντες καὶ κυκλόσε
| γενόμενοι ἐς ἀλλήλους ὁρῶσιν, οἱονεὶ σύνθημα ἕκα:
στος ἑκάστῳ διδόντες μῆτε πλησιάσαι μήτε ἅψασθαι
τοῦ καθειμένου δελεάσματος. καὶ οἱ μὲν παρατε-
ταγμένοι ἐς τοῦτο ἀτρεμοῦσιν' ἐκ δὲ 1 ἀλλοτρίας
ἀγέλης συνόδων ἀφίκετο, καὶ καταπίνει τὸ ἄγκιστ-
ρον, ἐρημίας λαβὼν “ μισθὸν τὴν ἅλωσιν. καὶ ὃ
“μὲν ἀνασπᾶται, οἱ δὲ ἤδη θαρροῦσιν ὡς οὐχ
ἁλωσόμενοι, καὶ καταφρονήσαντες οὕτω θηρῶνται.

εἰ Φρύγεται διὰ τοῦ θέρους ὁ κόραξ τῷ δίψει
κολαζόμενος, καὶ βοᾷ τὴν. τιμωρίαν "
μενος, καὶ βοᾷ τὴν τιμωρίαν μαρτυρόμενος,

[2 4 \
ὥς φασι. Kat τὴν αἰτίαν λέγουσιν ἐκείνην. 6

᾿Απόλλων αὐτὸν θεράποντα ὄντα ὑδρευσόμενον
ἀποπέμπει" ὁ δὲ ἐντυγχάνει Aniw βαθεῖ μέν, ἔτι
δὲ χλωρῷ, καὶ μένει ἔστ᾽ ἂν αὖον γένηται, τῶν
πυρῶν παραχναῦσαι βουλόμενος, καὶ τοῦ προστάγ-
ματος. ὠλιγώρησε. καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐν τῇ
μάλιστα .αὐχμηροτάτῃ ὥρᾳ διψῶν δίκας ἐκτίνει.
τ ἔοικε. μύθῳ μέν, εἰρήσθῳ δ᾽ οὖν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ
αἰδοῖ.

1 δὲ τῆς. - 2 λαχών.
66

kind. These fish love to congregate together

‘according to their age: the younger ones swim

about in shoals, the maturer ones also keep together.
And as the saying is true ‘ A friend must be of one’s
own age,’* so these creatures delight to be where
others of their kind are, like comrades and friends
sharing the same pursuits and resorts. And these

are the means they devise for evading their pursuers.

Whenever an angler drops a bait for them they all
gather round and forming a ring look at one another
as though each were signalling to each not to

approach and not to touch the bait that has been

lowered. And those that have been posted for this
purpose remain still. But a Sparus from some other,
strange shoal arrives and swallows the bait, and gets
the reward of its'solitariness by being caught. So while
he is being drawn up, the rest grow bolder as though
they were not going to be taken, and so through their
scorn (of danger are caught.

47, All through the summer the Raven is afflicted The Raven,
’ tts thirst

with a parching thirst, and with his croaking (so they
say) declares his punishment. And the reason they
give is this. Being a servant he was sent out by
Apollo to draw water. He came to a field of corn,
tall but still green, and waited till it should ripen,
as he wanted to nibble the wheat: to his master’s
orders he paid no heed. On that account in the
driest season of the year he is punished with thirst.
This looks like a fable, but-let me repeat it. out of
reverence for the god.

α The full phrase is PAE ἥλικα τέρπει, cp. Pl. Phaedr. 240 o.

AELIAN

48. .Ὃ κόραξ, ὄρνιν αὐτόν φασιν ἱερόν, καὶ

᾿Απόλλωνος ἀκόλουθον εἶναι λέγουσι. ταῦτά τοι
καὶ μαντικοῖς συμβόλοις ἀγαθὸν ὁμολογοῦσι τὸν
αὐτόν, καὶ ὀττεύονταΐ γε πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου βοὴν οἱ
συνιέντες ὀρνίθων καὶ ἕδρας καὶ κλαγγὰς καὶ
πτήσεις αὐτῶν ἢ κατὰ λαιὰν χεῖρα ἢ κατὰ
δεξιάν.

“Προσακούω δὲ καὶ φὰ κόρακος μελαίνειν τρίχας.
καὶ χρὴ τὸν δολοῦντα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κόμην ἔλαιον ἐν
τῷ στόματι ἔχειν συμμύσαντα" εἰ δὲ μή, καὶ of
ὀδόντες αὐτῷ σὺν τῇ τριχὶ μελαίνονται δυσέκπλυτοί
τε καὶ δυσέκνιπτοι.

49. ᾽Ο μέροψ τὸ ὄρνεον ἔμπαλίν φασι τοῖς ἄλ-
ols ἅπασι πέτεται: τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐς τοὔμπροσθεν
ἵεται καὶ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμούς, 6 δὲ ἐς τοὐπίσω. καὶ
ἔπεισί μοι θαυμάζειν τὴν φύσιν τῆς ἐπισήμου καὶ
παραδόξου καὶ ἀήθους φορᾶς, ἣν ἐκεῖνο ᾷττει 1 τὸ
ζῷον. | ;

50. Ἣ μύραινα ὅταν ὁρμῆς ἀφροδισίου. ὑποπλη-
off, πρόεισιν ἐς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ὁμιλίαν ποθεῖ
νυμφίου καὶ μάλα πονηροῦ: πάρεισι γὰρ εἰς ἔχεως
φωλεόν, καὶ ἄμφω συμπλέκονται. ἤδη δέ φασι
καὶ 6 ἔχις οἰστρήσας καὶ ἐκεῖνος ἐς μίξιν ἀφικνεῖται
πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν, καὶ οἷον εἰ κωμαστὴς σὺν τῷ
αὐλῷ θυροκοπεῖ, οὕτω τοι καὶ ἐκεῖνος συρίσας τὴν
ἐρωμένην παρακαλεῖ, καὶ αὐτὴ πρόεισι,3 τῆς
φύσεως τὰ ἀλλήλων διῳκισμένα συναγούσης ἐς
ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν ὁμοίαν καὶ κοῖτον τὸν αὐτόν.

1 ἄγει. 2 Ges: πρόσ-.

ON ANIMALS, I. 48-50

48. The Raven, they say, is a sacred bird and The Raven,
attends upon Apollo: that is why men agree that nation
it is also of use in divination, and those who under-
stand the positions of birds, their cries, and their
flight whether on the left or on the right hand, are
able to divine by its croaking.

I am also informed that Raven’s eggs turn the its gees -
hair black. And it is essential for anyone who is
dyeing his hair to keep olive oil in his mouth and his
lips closed. Otherwise his teeth also turn black
along with his hair, and they are hardly to be washed

white again.

49. The Bee-eater flies (so they say) in precisely The Bee-
the opposite way to all other birds, for they move “"*

forward in the direction in which they look, while the

Bee-eater flies backwards. And I am astonished at
the remarkable, incredible, and uncommon character
of the motion with which this creature wings its way.

50. Whenever the Moray is filled with amorous Moray and
impulses it comes out of the sea on to land seeking ᾿
eagerly for a mate, and a very evil mate. For it
goes to a Viper’s den and the pair embrace. And
they do say that the male Viper also in its frenzied
desire for copulation goes down to the sea, and just
as a reveller with his flute knocks at the door, so the
Viper also with his hissing summons his loved one,
andshe emerges. Thus does Nature bring those that.
dwell far apart together in a mutual desire and to a
common bed. |

i
:
|
|
;
'
|
|
|
|
i

_AELIAN

τας eee «Ὁ: 5 5
Ἐπὴν OL, Ῥάχις ἀνθρώπου νεκροῦ φασιν ὑποσηπόμε-

vov τὸν μυελὸν ἤδη τρέπει ἐς ὄφιν: καὶ ἐκπίπτει τὸ
θηρίον, καὶ ἕρπει τὸ ' ἀγριώτατον ἐκ τοῦ ἡμερωτά-
του" καὶ τῶν μὲν καλῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν τὰ λείψανα
ἀναπαύεται, καὶ ἔχει ἄθλον ἡσυχίαν, ὥσπερ οὖν

A € Ἁ ~ f ;
καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ τῶν τοιούτων τὰ ἀδόμενά τε καὶ

ξ f 3 »" ΄ ἴων A 9 7
ὑμνούμενα ἐκ τῶν σοφῶν: πονηρῶν δὲ ἀνθρώπων
~ ,ὔ i
ῥάχεις τοιαῦτα τίκτουσι καὶ μετὰ τὸν βίον. ἢ
7 \ ~ 506 3 y > a 3 > ~
τοίνυν τὸ πᾶν pods ἐστιν, ἤ, εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀψευδῶς 5
’ ~
πεπίστευται, πονηροῦ νεκρός, ws κρίνειν ἐμέ,
f λ “-
ὄφεως γενέσθαι πατὴρ τοῦ τρόπου μισθὸν ἠνέγκατο.

52. Χελιδὼν δὲ ἄρα τῆς ὥρας τῆς ἀρίστης
ὑποσημαίνει τὴν ἐπιδημίαν. καὶ ἔστι φιλάνθρωπος,
- καὶ χαίρει τῷδε τῷ ζῴῳ ὁμωρόφιος οὖσα, καὶ
ἄκλητος ἀφικνεῖται, καὶ ὅτε οἱ φίλον καὶ ἔχει
καλῶς, ἀπαλλάττεται. καὶ οἵ γε ἄνθρωποι ὑποδέ-
χονται αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸν τῆς “Ομηρικῆς ξενίας
θεσμόν, ὃς κελεύει καὶ φιλεῖν τὸν ὃ παρόντα καὶ
ἰέναι βουλόμενον ἀποπέμπειν. |

”
53. ἔχει σι πλεονέκτημα ἡ αἷξ τὴν τοῦ πνεύ-
ξ ¢ ¢ : :
ματος ἐσροήν, ws ob νομευτικοὶ λόγοι ὁ φασίν.

9 mm ‘ A A ~
ἀναπνεῖ yap καὶ διὰ τῶν ὦτων καὶ διὰ τῶν.

το 1 2 , ᾿ ~

μυκτήρων, καὶ αἰσθητικώτατον τῶν διχήλων ἐστί.
3 n
Kal τὴν μὲν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν οὐκ οἶδα, ὃ δὲ οἷδα
“-Ἠ .3 \ / ᾿
τοῦτο εἶπον. εἰ δὲ ποίημα Προμηθέως καὶ αἴξ, τί
lon Ὁ. 7 Σ

βουλόμενος τοῦτο εἰργάσατο, εἰδέναι καταλιμπάνω
αὐτὸν. cn |

1 ζῷον τό.

: ταῦτα οὑτωσί MSS, τ. ὀρθῶς Ces.

ξένον Η (1876). _ 4 λόγοι καὶ ποιμενικοί.

a
ὶ

pees Prenat ALENT ITTET NESTS EASES ALAE DEN tte νυν στ συ σσσσσσσσσσσασσναμυμαλμένην

ON ANIMALS, 1. 51-53

51. The spine of a dead man; they say, transforms Snakes, how
the putrefying marrow into a snake. The brute πα
emerges, and from the gentlest of beings crawls forth
the fiercest. Now the remains of those that were
fine and noble are at rest and their reward is peace,
even as the soul also of such men has the rewards
which wise men celebrate in their songs. But it is
from the spine of evildoers that such evil monsters
are begotten even after life. The fact is, the whole
story is either a fable, or if it is to be relied upon as
true, then the corpse of a wicked man receives (so 1
think) the reward of his ways in becoming the
progenitor of a snake. - 3

59. A Swallow is a sign that the best season of the The ον
year is at hand. And it is friendly to man and takes
pleasure in sharing the same roof with this being.

It comes uninvited, and when it pleases and sees fit,
it departs. Men welcome it in accordance with the
law of hospitality laid down by Homer {Od. 15.
72-4], who bids us cherish a guest while he is with
us and speed him on his way when he wishes to

leave.

53. The Goat has:a certain advantage <over other The Goat,
animals) in the manner of taking breath, as the
narratives of shepherds tell us, for it inhales through
its ears as well as through its nostrils, and has a
sharper perception. than any other cloven-hoofed
animal. The cause of this I am unable to tell; I
have only told what 1 know. But if the Goat
also was a creation of Prometheus, what the
intention of this contrivance was, I leave him to
determine. 7

its breathing

ΠΝ ELLE LESS

AELIAN

_ 54. Kai ἔχεως δῆγμα καὶ ὄφεως ἄλλον φασὶν
ἀντιπάλων μὴ διαμαρτάνειν φαρμάκων. καὶ τὰ
μὲν αὐτῶν ἀκούω πώματα * εἶναι, τὰ δὲ χρίματα 3.
καὶ ἐπαοιδαὶ δὲ ἐπράυναν τὸν ὃ ἐγχρισθέντα ἰόν.
ἀσπίδος δὲ ἀκούω. μόνης α δῆγμα ἀνίατον εἶναι καὶ
ἷ : J αι καὶ
ἐπικουρίας κρεῖττον. καὶ μισεῖν ἄξιον τὸ ζῷον
τῆς εὐκληρίας τῆς ἐς τὸ κακόν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτου
Kis,

,
Olav ἀκούομεν Καὶ TIV θείαν Kat

ΤΡ

7 3 Ἀ \ Ἁ “-
Sani πο μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀσπίδων φάρμακα
‘ 4 ji
nypatos ὅ ἔργα ἐστί, τὰ δὲ ἐκείνων ἀναιρεῖ ὃ καὶ

> , ~ -
ἐκ μόνης τῆς ἁφῆς, φασί.

55. Κυνῶν θαλαττίων τρία γένη. καὶ οἱ μὲν
᾿αὐτῶν εἰ 20 3 ἱ ates
σε μεγέθει μέγιστοι, καὶ κητῶν ἐν τοῖς
ἀλκιμωτάτοις ἀριθμοῖντο ἄν: γένη δὲ δύο τὰ

- \ 4 ?
λοιπά, πηλαῖοι pen Tip φύσιν, προήκουσι δὲ ἐς
᾿

πῆχυν τὸ μέγεθος. καὶ τούτων οἱ μὲν κατεστιγμέ-
νοι καλοῖντο ἂν γαλεοί ͵ Σ ὀνομά

' ο ἂν γαλεοί, κεντρίνας δὲ ὀνομάζων
τοὺς λοιποὺς οὐκ ἂν διαμαρτάνοις. οἱ μὲν οὖν

‘ A f- >
ποικίλοι καὶ τὴν δοράν εἰσι μαλακώτεροι καὶ τὴν
¢
ee πλατύτεροι" ot δὲ ἕτεροι σκληροὶ ὃ τὴν
Α 4
δορὰν ὄντες τὴν κεφαλὴν δὲ ἀνήκουσαν ἐς ὀξὺ
A
ἔχοντες τὴν " χρόαν ἐς τὸ λευκὸν ἀποκρίνονται.
κέντρα δὲ ἄρα αὐτοῖς συμπέφυκε τὸ μὲν 11 κατὰ
ς ba 3}
τὴν λοφιάν, ὡς ἂν εἴποις, τὸ δὲ κατὰ τὴν οὐράν'
3 Ἀ é

σκληρὰ δὲ dpa τὰ κέντρα καὶ ἀπειθῆ ἐστι, καὶ ἰοῦ

: πόμ- MSS always. 2 χρίσματα.

τινων. 4 ud

ee μόνον.
cha: καὶ δήγματος. 5. ἀναιρεῖν.

vi 4 4 4 4 3 “
μέγεθος καὶ τὸν μὲν αὐτοῖν γαλεὸν τὸν δὲ t ῦ
ν δὲ κεντρὶ
ΠΡ ΠΑ ρίτην φιλοῦσιν

θηρίον μιαρώτερον καὶ ἀφυλακτότερον γυνὴ φαρμα-.

ON ANIMALS, I. 54-55
54. They say that the bite of the Viper and of Bolionous

other snakes is not without countering remedies. -
Some, I am told, are to be drunk, others are to be
applied; spells too can mitigate poison injected by
a sting. But the bite of the Asp @ alone, I am told,
cannot be cured and is beyond help. This creature
truly deserves to be hated for being blessed with the
ower toinjure. Yet a monster more abominable and
harder to avoid even than the Asp is a sorceress, such
as (we are told) Medea and Circe were, for the
poison from Asps is the result of a bite, whereas
sorceresses kill by a mere touch, so they say. |

55. There are three kinds of Sea-hound.? The The Shark
first is of enormous size and may be reckoned among
the most daring of sea monsters.° The others are of
two kinds, they live in the mud and reach to a cubit The |
in length. Those that are speckled one may call Νὰ
galeus (small shark), and the rest, if you call them
Spiny Dog-fish you will not go fay wrong. Now the
speckled ones have a softer skin and a flatter head,
while the others, whose skin is hard and whose head
tapers to a point, are distinguished from the rest by
the whiteness of their skin. Moreover nature has
provided them with spines, one on their crest, so to
say, the other in the tail. And these spines are
hard and resisting and emit a kind of poison. Of the

'@ The Egyptian cobra, Nata hate.
ον The terms θαλάττιος κύων and γαλεός signify both dog-fish |
and shark. See Inpex Ii.
¢ 7.6. the shark.

® μέντοι ὄντες καί.
11 τὸ μὲν τῆς κεφαλῆς.

8 , Η λ f
μικροί τε καὶ σκληροὶ.
,
10 καὶ τήν.

ey ne

πα re nner YEA I ELL TE LEER SL LEE

$i
i
ὃς

ἶ
ξ
ἢ
cd

᾿
2
i
3}
!
δεν
᾿

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, I. 55-57
1 ; d ᾿
es ; ἐλ, o fs Se tories τ τὰ πῶ ᾿ small Dog-fish both kinds are caught in the ooze an |
es pas arial re φῦλον Ν 1 | pr mud, hae manner of catching them I may as well

lain. By way of bait men let down a white fish
at of which ney have cut the backbone. Directly
one of the Dog-fish is caught and hooked, all those

37 \ “᾿ ie, , ὁ » 3 “a >? 4 ?
ἰλύος καὶ τοῦ πηλοῦ, Kal ἡ ἄγρα, εἰπεῖν αὐτὴν οὐ
χεῖρόν ἐστι. δέλεαρ αὐτῶν καθιᾶσιν ἰχθὺν λευκὸν

ἐκτετμημένον τὴν ῥάχιν. ὅταν. τοίνυν εἷς ἁλῷ καὶ that have seen him make ἃ rush for him and pene
τῷ ἀγκίστρῳ περιπέσῃ, πάντες ot θεασάμενοι | him as he is drawn upwards, never stopping unt
ἐμπηδῶσιν * αὐτῷ καὶ ὃ κάτωθεν ἑλκομένῳ ἕπον- they reach the boat. One might imagine that they
ται * καὶ μέχρι τῆς νεὼς οὐκ ἀναστελλόμενοι, ὡς do this out of envy, as though he had pants ers
εἰκάσαι ζηλοτυπίᾳ δρᾶν ταῦτα αὐτούς, οἷα ἐκείνου iece of food from somewhere ap or sae ;
τι τῶν ἐς τροφὴν ἑαυτῷ μόνῳ ποθὲν ἀποσυλήσαν- And it often happens that some of them a af

leap into the boat and are caught of their own free

Tos’ καὶ ἐς τὴν ναῦν ye αὐτὴν ἐσεπήδησάν τινες
will.

? 4 e f δ,
πολλάκις, καὶ ἑκόντες ἑάλωσαν.

56. The barb of the Sting-ray nothing can with- ee
stand. It wounds and kills instantly, and even
those fishermen who have great knowledge of the
sea dread its weapon.. For no man can heal the
wound, nor will the creature that inflicted it; that
was a gift vouchsafed, most probably, to the ashen
spear from mount Pelion alone.*

56. Τῆς τρυγόνος τῆς θαλαττίας τὸ κέντρον
ἐστὶν ἀπρόσμαχον. ἐκέντησε γὰρ καὶ ἀπέκτεινε
οὐ παραχρῆμα, καὶ πεφρίκασιν αὐτῆς τόδε τὸ ὅπλον
καὶ οἱ τῶν ἁλιέων δεινοὶ τὰ θαλάττια. οὔτε γὰρ
ἄλλος ἰάσεται τὸ τραῦμα οὔτε ἡ τρώσασα' μόνῃ
, ς᾽ \ > 7 A , , A
yap, ws τὸ εἰκός, TH [1 ηλιώτιδι pedin® τοῦτο
ἐδέδοτο.
57. The Cerastes is a small creature; itis a snake, a as
and above its brow it has two horns, and these horns
are like those of the snail, though unlike the snail 5
they are not soft. Now these snakes are the enemies
of all other Libyans, but towards the Psylli, as ey ΤΡ
are called, they are gently disposed, for the Psylii Sevill
are insensible to their bites and have no difficulty
2 The spear of Achilles was made from an ash-tree on mt

Pelion (Hom. 11. 16. 148). Telephus, wounded by the spear,
was afterwards cured by the rust from it.

57 A 4 6 θ 7 ¢ , i Σ᾿, δὲ cid
. Λεπτὸν ὃ θηρίον 6 Képdorns. ἔστι δὲ ὄφις,
41 ὁ Α fan f a 4 ,
καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μετώπου κέρατα ἔχει δύο, καὶ ἔοικε
“ “A ? \
τοῖς τοῦ. κοχλίου τὰ κέρατα, οὐ μήν ἐστιν ws
3 [4 t / “ “a ~
ἐκείνων ἁπαλά. οὐκοῦν τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις τῶν
vA > é Ld \ “
Λιβύων εἰσὶ πολέμιοι: ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῖς πρὸς τοὺς
7 7 uv _@ > 2}
καλουμένους. Ῥύλλους ἔνσπονδα, οἵπερ οὖν οὔτε
τ / κ] he ~
αὐτοὶ δακόντων Eematovat,’ καὶ τοὺς τῷ τοιούτῳ

1 ζφῦλον» add. Reiske, {τόν add. Η.

“--οοννν-σσσσο, - πα ΣΝΝΝΝΝ ΣΩ͂Ν
μαυτοττολι,5.....ὕ.τὐσλελυειμονγηγφουντιοαι "
ΜΝ TTT,

2 συμπηδῶσιν. 3 καί τοι. 8
ἔπονταΐ TEs ee n

- ἐς, J 6 ἦ 7 ἀπαΐουσι τῶν δηγμάτων.

5 Reiske: βολῇ, υ«ἷ. μόνῃ. ᾿ λευκὸν. Ἶ

15.
74 4 | | | |

AELIAN

~ IA ta \
κακῷ περιπεσόντας ἰῶνται ῥᾷστα. καὶ ὃ τρόπος,
Ἁ 1 wn LY ~ ~ 3 id f
ἐὰν πρὶν ἢ πρησθῆναι τὸ πᾶν σῶμα ἀφίκηταί τις
~ > “- A λ \ 4 > \ iN
τῶν ἐκεῖθεν κλητὸς ἢ κατὰ τύχην, εἶτα τὸ μὲν

. ἢ “ὃ > λ 7 ἢ > / δὲ A ~
στόμα ὕδατι ἐκκλύσηται, ἀπονίψῃ de τὰς χεῖρας

¢ ? \ A σι f κω ¢ 7] 9
ἑτέρῳ, καὶ πιεῖν τῷ δηχθέντι δῷ ἑκάτερον, ἀνερ-
ρώσθη τε ἐκεῖνος καὶ κακοῦ παντὸς ἐξάντης τὸ
3 Af? 2 - Ἁ , 7 A ς
ἐντεῦθέν ἐστι. διαρρεῖ δὲ καὶ λόγος Λιβυκὸς ὃ
, 7 3 Α ε σι ᾿" we
λέγων, Ῥύλλον ἄνδρα τὴν ἕαυτοῦ γαμετὴν ὑφο-
ρᾶσθαι καὶ μισεῖν ὡς μεμοιχευμένην καὶ μέντοι
καὶ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς βρέφος ὑποπτεύειν ὡς νόθον τε
“- 7ὔ n >
καὶ τῷ σφετέρῳ γένει κίβδηλον. πεῖραν οὖν
“- τ ,ὔ 3 7 > / 7
καθεῖναι καὶ μάλα ἐλεγκτικήν φασιν αὐτόν. λάρ-
λ ,ὔ : ~ 3 LAA 2 4 7
vaka πληρώσας κεραστῶν ἐμβάλλει 3' τὸ βρέφος,
οἱονεὶ πυρὶ τὸν χρυσὸν τεχνίτης τὸ παιδίον ἐξελέγ-
χων ἐκεῖνος τῇ ἀποθέσει. καὶ οἱ μὲν παραχρῆμα
ἐπανίσταντο καὶ ἠγρίαινον καὶ τὴν συμφυῆ κακίαν
ἠπείλουν: ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῶν προσέψαυσεν,
¢ \ 3 ᾽ὔ i > ΄ὦΟ ¢ f ” >
οἱ δὲ ἐμαράνθησαν, Kat ἐντεῦθεν ὁ Λίβυς ἔγνω οὐ
/ :
νόθου ἀλλὰ γόνου γνησίου πατὴρ ὦν. λέγονται δὲ
καὶ τῶν ἑτέρων δακετῶν καὶ φαλαγγίων δὲ
ἀντίπαλοι τόδε τὸ γένος εἶναι. καὶ ταῦτά γε εἰ
΄. ΓΑ 7 > > / 3 > κε ν΄ 2. A
τερατεύονται Λίβυες, οὐκ ἐμέ, ἀλλ᾽ αὑτοὺς ἀπατῶν-
τες ἴστωσαν.

58. Μελιττῶν δὲ ἐπίβουλοι καὶ ἐχθροὶ elev ἂν
ἐκεῖνοι, οἵ τε αἰγίθαλοι καλούμενοι καὶ τὰ τούτων
νεόττια καὶ ob σφῆκες καὶ αἱ χελιδόνες καὶ οἱ
» , τ ἐλ , ie Ad 3 1 ς
ὄφεις καὶ αἱ φάλαγγες καὶ at Τλύγγαιϊ.ὃ καὶ αἱ

1 ἐπικλύσηται.

2 Ges: καὶ ἐμβάλλει. ;

3 λύγγαι ‘vox nthilt,’ φάλλαιναι (or φρῦναι, cp. Arist. HA 626 ἃ
30) Gow.

ON ANIMAIS, I. 57-58

in curing those who have fallen victims to this
yenomous creature. Their method is this: if one
of that tribe arrive, whether summoned or by chance,
before the whole body.is inflamed, and if he then
rinse his mouth with water and wash the bitten man s
hands and give him the water from both to drink,
then the victim recovers and thereafter is free from
all infection. And there is a story current among
the Libyans that, if one of the Psylli suspects his wife
and hates her on the ground that she has committed
adultery ; and if moreover he suspects that the child
born from her is a bastard and no true member of his
tribe, he then puts it to a very severe test: he fills
a chest with Cerastae and drops the baby among
them, just as a goldsmith places gold in the fire, and
puts the infant to the proof by thus exposing him.
And immediately the snakes surge up in anger and.

threaten the child with their native poison. But _

directly the infant touches them, they wilt, and then
the Libyan knows that he is the father of no bastard
but of one sprung of his own race. This tribe is said
also to be the enemy of other noxious beasts and of
malmignattes.

Well, if the Libyans are here romancing, I would
have them know that it is not I but themselves
that they are deceiving.

58. The following creatures plot. and make war
against Bees: the creatures known as Titmice and
their young, also Wasps and Swallows and Snakes and
Spiders and [Moths?]. Bees are afraid of these, and

Bees and
their
enemies

AELIAN

μὲν δεδίασι ταῦτα, οἱ δ᾽ οὖν μελιττουργοὶ ἐλαύ-
νουσιν αὐτὰ am αὐτῶν ἢ κόνυζαν ἐπιθυμιάσαντες
ἢ χλωρὰν ἔτι μήκωνα πρὸ τῶν σίμβλων καταστή-
σαντες ἢ καταστρώσαντες. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοῖς
ἄλλοις ἐχθρά ἐστι τοῖς προειρημένοις, σφηκῶν δὲ
ἅλωσις ἐκείνη ἂν εἴη. κύρτον ἀπαρτῆσαι χρὴ
πρὸ τῆς σφηκιᾶς καὶ ἐνθεῖναι αὐτῷ λεπτὴν μεμ-
pada ἢ μαινίδα ὀλίγην καὶ σὺν τούτοις ἴωπα ἢ
χαλκίδα" οἱ δὲ σφῆκες ὑπὸ τῆς ἐμφύτου γαστριμαρ-
γίας ἑλκόμενοι, καλοῦντος αὐτοὺς «φτοῦ» 3 δε-
λεάσματος, ἐσπίπτουσιν ἀθρόοι, καὶ περιλαβόντος
αὐτοὺς τοῦ κύρτου οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὀπίσω
οὐκέτι ἐκπτῆναι. καὶ οἱ σαῦροι δὲ ἐπιβουλεύουσι
ταῖς μελίτταις καὶ οἱ κροκόδιλοι οἱ χερσαῖοι"
ὄλεθρος δὲ καὶ τούτοις ἐπιτετέχνηται ἐκεῖνος.
ἄλφιτα γὰρ ἐλλεβόρῳ δεύσαντες ἢ τιθυμάλλου ὁπῷ
ὑποχέαντες * ἢ μαλάχης χυλῷ διασπείρουσι πρὸ
τῶν σίμβλων τὰ ἄλφιτα: ὅπερ οὖν ὄλεθρον φέρει
τοῖς προειρημένοις ἀπογευσαμένοις αὐτῶν. ἐμβα-
λὼν δὲ ἐς τὴν λίμνην φλόμου φύλλα ἢ κάρυα
ἀπώλεσε τοὺς yupivous 6 τῶν μελιττῶν δεσπότης
ῥᾷστα. αἱ δὲ φάλλαιναι ὅ ἀπόλλυνται νύκτωρ, ἐνακ-
palovros® λύχνου τεθέντος πρὸ τῶν σμηνῶν
καὶ ἀγγείων ἐλαίου πεπληρωμένων τῷ λύχνῳ
ὑποκειμένων" αἱ δὲ πρὸς τὴν αὐγὴν πετόμε-
vat ἐμπίπτουσιν ἐς τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ ἀπολώλασιν:
ἑτέρως δὲ οὐκ ἂν αἱρεθεῖεν ῥᾷστα. οἱ δὲ αἰγίθαλοι

1 Schn: ἁλώσεις ἐκεῖνα.
2 <rot> add. Jac. ;
? “- ie » Ἢ - ᾿
, ὅ ἐκπτῆναι, καὶ ὕδωρ δ᾽ ἂν αὐτῶν κατασκεδάσας ῥᾷον διαφθείραις
ἂν αὐτούς, καὶ πῦρ ἐξάψας καταπρήσαις. ,

* ὑποχέοντες.

|
}
+
᾿
{
|

sranegret ttre PRAT deh RE POTTTTTTTA Hida FAN ht RN NNR κίεν.

ON ANIMALS, I. 58

so bee-keepers try to drive them away by using flea-
bane as a fumigant or by placing or scattering pop-
pies still green before the hives. Most of the
aforesaid creatures dislike these things, but the way
to catch Wasps is as follows. You should hang up a
cage in front of the Wasps’ nest and insert a little
smelt or a small sprat and with them a minnow or a
sardine. And the Wasps, drawn by their natural greed
and lured by the bait, fall into the cage in numbers,
and once they are trapped, it is no longer possible for
them to fly out again. Lizards also have designs upon
Bees, so too have Land-crocodiles.¢ But a means

has been devised of destroying them too, thus:

soak some meal in hellebore, or pour upon it the sap
of spurge or the juice of mallow and scatter it
about in front of the hives. This is death to the
aforesaid creatures, once they have tasted of it. If
a bee-keeper drop the leaves of mullein or nuts ὃ into
a pool, he will find it the simplest way of destroying
Tadpoles. But Moths® are destroyed at. night-
time by the placing of a strong light in front of the
hives and vessels full of oil below the light. And
the Moths fly to the brightness and fall into the oil
and are killed.. Otherwise they would not be caught
so very easily. But-the Titmice, once they have

α ‘The “ crocodile’ is the Psammosaurus griseus, a land
lizard, which reaches a size of 3 feet’ (How-Wells on Hdt.
4, 192). . |

ὃ Perhaps some word has been lost indicating what kind of
nut is intended.

¢ This may be the Wax-moth, which is found in bees’ nests,
its larvae eating the comb; or it may be one of the Hawk-
moths (fam. Sphingidae) which enter the nests for honey.

5 Ges: dddayyes Mss, ἢ. 8 ἐναυγάζοντος.

AELIAN

2\ [7 3 , | .
ἀλφίτων οἴνῳ διαβραχέντων ἀπογευσάμενοι Kapy-

on “ ?
Bapotow, εἶτα πίπτουσι, καὶ κείμενοι σπαίρουσι,
καὶ εἰσίν αἱρεθῆναι ἴ γελοῖοι t+ ἀναπτῆναι μὲν
σπεύδοντες, ἀρχὴν δὲ a ῆ ὴ Ἵ
ἀν δίων ρχὴν δὲ ἀναστῆναι μὴ δυνάμενοι.
οἱ δὲ τὴν χελιδόνα αἰδοῖ τῆς μουσικῆς οὐκ ἀποκτεί-
zh)
νουσι, καίτοι ῥᾳδίως ἂν αὐτὴν " τοῦτο δράσαντες"
? “a ;
ἀπόχρη δὲ αὐτοῖς κωλύειν τὴν χελιδόνα πλησίον
~ s “A
τῶν σίμβλων καλιὰν ὑποπῆξαι.
7 ἣν cs e
᾿Απεχθάνονται δὲ ἄρα αἱ μέλιτται κακοσμίᾳ
πάσῃ καὶ μύρῳ spot y δ ὑπομέ:
ῃ καὶ μύρῳ ὁμοίως, οὔτε τὸ δυσῶδες ὑπομέ-
νουσαι οὔτε ἀσπαζόμεναι τῆς εὐωδίας τὸ τεθρυμ-
, > A
μένον, οἷα δήπου κόραι ἀστεῖαί τε καὶ σώφρονες
τὸ μὲν βδελυττόμεναι τῆς δὲ ὑπερφρονοῦσαι.

; 59. κῦρος μέν, ὥς φασιν, ὁ πρεσβύτερος μέγα
ἐφρόνει ἐπὶ τοῖς βασιλείοις τοῖς ἐν Περσεπόλει,
οἷσπερ οὖν αὐτὸς φκοδομήσατο, Δαρεῖος δὲ "πὶ
τῇ, κατασκευῇ τῇ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων τῶν Σου-
σείων 4: καὶ γὰρ 5 ἐκεῖνος ἐν Σούσοις τὰ ἀδόμενα
ἐκεῖνα εἰργάσατο. Κῦρος δὲ ὁ δεύτερος ἐν Λυδίᾳ
παράδεισον αὐτὸς κατεφύτευσε ταῖς χερσὶ ταῖς
βασιλικαῖς év® τοῖς ἁβροῖς ἐκείνοις χιτῶσι καὶ
τοῖς τερπνοῖς ἐκείνοις καὶ μέγα τιμίοις λίθοις, καὶ
ἐπὶ τούτῳ 7 ve ἐκαλλύνετο καὶ πρὸς ἄλλους μὲν
τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀτὰρ οὖν καὶ πρὸς Λύσανδρον τὸν
Λακεδαιμόνιον, ὅτε ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν Κῦρον ὁ
Λύσανδρος ἐς τὴν Λυδίαν. καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων

1 « “" ε

eis κοῦ Gow, ye οἷοι Jac, ῥᾷδιοι Lorenz.

: Oud: αὐτῇ Mss, H would delete.
Περσαιπόλει.

4 Ἠροῖδκα: 7 ὔ ὶ γὰ
: et ke: Σούσων. 5 καὶ γὰρ Kat.
é
our. 7 τούτοις.

ON ANIMALS, I. 58-59

tasted the wine-steep

ed meal, become drowsy ; then

they fall over and lie quivering and can readily( ?)

be captured as

they struggle to fly and

quite incapable of standing. But the Swallow

yefrain from killing out of resp
though they might easily do so.
το hinder the Swallow from attaching it

the hives.

Again, Bees dislike all bad s
equally: they cannot endure fo
they welcome ἃ luxurious fragrance,
refined girls abhor the former while des

latter.

59, The elder Cyrus,? they say, was filled.

pride at the palace in Per

are
men

ect for its music;
They are content
s nest below

mells and perfume
ul odours nor do
even as modest,
pising the

with

had caused to be built; Darius? likewise at the
magnificence of his buildings at Susa, for he it was

who contrived those farfamed dwelling-places.

Cyrus the Second ° with his own royal hands and
clothed in his habitual delicate garments and adorned
with his beautiful jewels of great price, planted his

Gardens in Lydia and pri
before all the Greeks and even
Spartan, when Lysander came t

‘ded himself on the fact
before Lysander the
o visit him in Lydia.

α Cyrus I, founder of the Achaemenid Persian empire,
549-29 5.56. City and palace of Persepolis were burned by
Alexander the Great.

> Darius, son of Hystaspes, King of Persia, 521-485 B.c.,
Susa, on the river Choaspes. It was ὃ
residence of the Persian kings during the springtime.

¢ Cyrus IT, younger son of Darius LI, ο: 430-401 B.c.,
Lysander, the Spartan admiral, with sums of money, thereby

reputed founder of

helped

ensuring the final victory of Sparta in the Peloponnesian war.

The ‘ Gardens’ wer

e at Sardes.

Bees, their
combs ai

sepolis which he himself hives

sone κι jn ae warenty: Lact ns A REIT! ΤῊΝ psepaccKscat
arr ὅν: _ _ -- wns ~ ~~ pas v re ox
x ΠΟ ΨΥ SE EPA RES VENEER
RRA Sine LL ei
PARR OWE: Ἂ

ΑΕΙΙΑΝ.

2
ᾷδουσιν οἱ συγγραφεῖς, αἱ δὲ τῶν μελιττῶν
οἰκοδομαὶ σοφώτεραι οὖσαι κατὰ πολὺ καὶ τεχ-
νηέστεραι,} ἀλλὰ τούτων γε 3, οὐδὲ ὀλίγην ἔθεντο
ὥραν: ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ πολλοὺς ὃ λυπήσαντες
εἰργάσαντο ὅσα εἰργάσαντο: οὐδὲν δὲ ἄρα Hy
μελιττῶν εὐχαριτώτερον, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ σοφώτερον
ἦν. πρώτους μὲν γὰρ ἐργάζονται τοὺς θαλάμους
τοὺς τῶν βασιλέων, καὶ εὐρυχωρίαν ἔχουσιν οὗτοί,
καὶ εἰσὶν ἀνώτεροι:" ὲ ΐ
τούτοις, οἷονεὶ δὲ ΠΡ ν aaa
εἰ ; ι ρίβολον, ἀποσε-
μνύνουσαι καὶ ἐκ τούτου τὴν οἴκησιν τὴν βασίλειον.
διαιροῦσι δὲ αὑτὰς ἐς τρία καὶ οὖν καὶ τὰς
οἰκήσεις τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐς τοσαῦτα... αἱ μὲν γὰρ
πρεσβύταται 4 γειτνιῶσι τῇ τῶν βασιλέων αὐλῇ,"
αἱ δὲ νεώταται 6 μετὰ ταύτας ? οἰκοῦσιν, αἱ δὲ ἐν
ἤβῃ καὶ ἀκμῇ οὖσαι ἐξωτέρω ἐκείνων, ὡς εἶναι
τὰς μὲν πρεσβυτάτας φρουροὺς τῶν βασιλέων, τὰς
δὲ νεάνιδας ἕρκος τῶν νεωτάτων. ᾿

60. Λέγει μέ Syos ἀκέντρους εἶ
Λέγει μέν τις λόγος ἀκέντρους εἶναι τοὺς
τούτων βασιλέας: λέγει δὲ καὶ ἕτερος καὶ πάνυ
7
raat τὰ κέντρα συμπεφυκέναι αὐτοῖς καὶ
τεθηγμένα ἀνδρειότατα: οὔτε δὲ ἐπ᾽ ἀνδρί ποτε
χρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς οὔτε ἐπὶ Tal: f Ἰλλὰ
ὧν: οἷς οὔτε ἐπὶ ταῖς μελίτταις, ἀλλὰ συμπε-
: 2, }:
πλάσθαι φόβον ἄλλως" μὴ γὰρ θέμις εἶναι τὸν
ἄρχοντα καὶ τῶν τοσούτων ἔφορον κακὸν ἐργά-
σασθαι. καὶ τὰ λί δὲ τὰ LS ὁ
σθαι. καὶ τὰς μελίττας δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς ὁμολο-
3 ~
γοῦσιν οἱ τούτων ἐπιστήμονες ἐν ὄψει τῶν ἀρχόντων
“- : ξ ’
τῶν σφετέρων ὑποκλίνειν τὰ κέντρα, OlovEl τῆς
1 Pauw: τὰς δὲ.
τεχνηεστέρας.
2. ὑπὲρ τούτων.

οἱ ὃ 4 i ΕΙΣ
. οἰκοδομὰς σοφωτέρας οὖσας. ..

3 πολὺ καὶ πολλούς.

ON ANIMALS, I. 59-60

Historians celebrate these constructions, but the
dwellings of Bees which are far cleverer and exhibit
a greater skill, of these they take not the slightest
notice. And yet, while those monarchs, wrought
what they wrought through the affliction of multi-
tudes, there never was any creature more gracious
than the Bee, just as there is none cleverer. The
first things that they construct are the chambers of
their kings, and they are spacious and above all the
rest. Round them they put a barrier, as it were 8
wall or fence, thereby also enhancing the importance
of the royal dwelling. And they divide themselves
into three grades, and their dwellings accordingly
‘nto the same number. Thus, the eldest dwell
nearest the royal palace, and the latest born dwell
next to them, while those that are young and in the

rime of life are outside the latter. In this way the
eldest are the king’s bodyguard, and the youthful
ones are a protection to the latest born.

60. According to one story the King Bees are The
th King Bee

stingless; according to another they are born wi
stings of great strength and trenchant sharpness ;
and yet they never use them against a man nor
against bees: the stings are a pretence, an empty
scare, for it would be wrong for one who rules and
directs such numbers to do an injury. And those
who understand their ways bear witness to the fact
that the other Bees when in presence of their rulers
withdraw their stings, as though shrinking and giving
OO π΄’ ---ἷ--------

4 ‘4 4 ¢ A 7
πρεσβύταται καὶ αἱ παλαιόταται.
5 ee ε ᾿ ὃ 2 \ ee 5
αὐλῇ οἱονεὶ δορύφοροι καὶ φρουροὶ οὕτοι.
? a ᾿ .
8 νεώταται καὶ αἱ αὐτοετεῖς.
? ταῦτα.

ve
Sinise eae

ed BA ED ESRD 8) SALEEM ANAC ELEN AEE HAIN ELI TALUS
IRE RAS IRMA NCES rete

eure ant nb Ae bE ESOL EHIME EEE EER EERDEI EILEEN toa ERd SERDAR
ἡ στε

AELIAN

> , 5, ? 4 7 δ,
ἐξουσίας ἀφισταμένας Καὶ παραχωροῦσάας. εΕεκΚατε- —

3. ν᾿», 3 , {1 OA
pov δ᾽ ἄν τις ἐκπλαγείη τὸ τῶν βασιλέων ἐκείνων"
2 4 \ em” ὔ “" ~
εἴτε yap μὴ ἔχουσι πόθεν ἀδικήσουσι, μέγα τοῦτο"
i \

3 A 3 a \ ~ “~
εἴτε Kal παρὸν ἀδικῆσαι μὴ ἀδικοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῦτό

΄- “a 7 3
ye PaKp® KPElLTTOV εστίιν.

84.

|
|
|

ON ANIMALS, I. 60

way before authority. And one might well be
astonished at either of the aforesaid characteristics
in these King Bees: if they have no means of
injuring, this is remarkable; if with all the means of
injuring they do no injury, then this is far more to
their credit. —

a TC RCE A εν οσοννος

ἘΜ SEALE CLEVE MISSA NAS! A AL ALLEL TLD

ΉΤΟ ΘΟΝΝΝΝΝ LAN PEE NE PLE TORN TER O LEN ALES ELT ESTE TELE ELE
i Hs em

υϑδάνοτ"
τεῦ

1. Ὅταν τὰ ἤθη τὰ τῶν Θρᾳκῶν καὶ τοὺς
κρυμοὺς ἀπολείπωσι τοὺς Θρᾳκίους αἱ γέρανοι,
ἀθροίζονται μὲν ἐς τὸν Ἕβρον, λίθον δ᾽ ἑκάστη
καταπιοῦσα, ὡς ἔχειν καὶ δεῖπνον καὶ πρὸς τὰς
ἐμβολὰς τῶν ἀνέμων ἕρμα, πειρῶνται τοῦ μετοι-
κισμοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν Νεῖλον ὁρμῆς, ἀλέας τε
καὶ χειμερίου + συντροφίας πόθῳ τῆς ἐκεῖθι. μελ-
λουσῶν δὲ αὐτῶν αἴρεσθαι καὶ τοῦ πρόσω ἔχεσθαι,
ὁ παλαίτατος γέρανος περιελθὼν τὴν πᾶσαν ἀγέλην
ἐς τρίς, εἶτα μέντοι πεσὼν ἀφίησι τὴν ψυχήν.
ἐνταῦθα * οὖν οἱ λοιποὶ θάπτουσι μὲν τὸν νεκρόν,
φέρονται δὲ εὐθὺ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, τὰ μήκιστα πελάγη
περαιούμενοι τῷ ταρσῷ τῶν πτερῶν, καὶ οὔτε
ὁρμίζονταί που οὔτε ἀναπαύονται. σπείροντας δὲ
τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους καταλαμβάνουσι, καὶ τράπεζαν

ς ba} 3} 27 A > ce! > ’ ef?
ὡς ἂν εἴποις ἄφθονον τὴν ἐν ταῖς ἀρούραις εὑρόντες

s v ? ,
εἶτα ἄκλητοι ξενίων μεταλαγχάνουσιν.

2. Τίκτεσθαι μὲν ἐν ὄρεσι ζῷα καὶ ἐν ἀέρι καὶ
3 f “ΨΥ 3 LA v4 s . \
ἐν θαλάττῃ, θαῦμα οὔπω μέγα: ὕλη yap Kal
τροφὴ καὶ φύσις ἡ τούτων αἰτία: ἔκγονα δὲ πυρὸς
πτηνὰ εἶναι τοὺς καλουμένους πυριγόνους, καὶ ἐν
αὐτῷ βιοῦν καὶ τεθηλέναι, καὶ δεῦρο καὶ ἐκεῖσε
περιποτᾶσθαι, τοῦτο ἐκπληκτικόν. καὶ τὸ ἔτι
θαῦμα, ὅταν ἔξω τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ συντρόφου ἐκνεύ-

τῆς χειμερίου. 2 ἐντεῦθεν.

μιννω φυσϑούκῶν: δὲ ARLE Rte eats a ne eee SAN OER ONE την στ λον τὶ κμρκα κα παννι στα αν ΡΒΕΝΕΡΌΘΌΟΝΝ εἶ

BOOK II

‘|. When Cranes are about to leave their Thracian ee nae
haunts and the frosts of Thrace, they collect on the of Granes

river Hebrus,* and when each one has swallowed a
stone by way of food and as ballast against the on-
slaught of winds, they prepare to emigrate and to set
out for the Nile, longing for the warmth and for the
food that is to be had there during the winter.
And just when they are on the point of rising and
moving off, the oldest Crane goes round the entire
flock thrice and then falls to the ground and breathes
his last. So the others bury the dead body on the
spot and fly straight to Egypt, traversing the widest
seas on outstretched wing, never landing, never
pausing to rest. And they fall in with the Egyptians
as they are sowing their fields, and in the ploughlands
they find, so to speak, a generous table, and though
uninvited partake of the Egyptians’ hospitality.

9. That living creatures should be born upon the
mountains, in the air, and in the sea, is no great

* Pire-fiies ἢ

marvel, since matter, food, and nature are the cause.

But that there should spring from fire winged crea-
tures which men call ‘ Fire-flies,’® and that these
should live and flourish in it, flying to and fro about
it, is a startling fact. And what is more extra-

ordinary, when these creatures stray outside the

@ Mod. Maritza.
> Lit. ‘ fire-born’; these are not what are now called fire-
flies,’ and are unknown to modern science.

80 .

AELIAN

\ 35} “~
σωσι Kal ἀέρος ψυχροῦ μεταλάχωσιν,ἷ ἐνταῦθα δὴ
ε ς > 7 ᾿
τεθνήκασι. Kat ἥτις ἡ αἰτία τίκτεσθαι μὲν πυρΐ,
ἀέρι δὲ ἀπόλλυσθαι, λεγέτωσαν ἄλλοι.

ON ANIMALS, II. 2-4

yange of the heat to which they are accustomed and
take in cold air, they at once perish. And why they

should be born in the fire and die in the air others
must explain. |

¢ . ἡ“) ee |
3. Of μὲν ὄρνιθες ot ἕτεροι ἀναβαίνονται, ws Ad-

γος, αἱ δὲ 'χελιδόνες οὔ, ἀλλὰ τούτων ye ἐναντία 3, With other birds the hen is mounted by the cock, Swallows

neir

ἡ μίξις ἐστί. καὶ τὸ αἴτιον otdev ἡ φύσις. λέγει
δὲ ὁ πλείων λόγος ὅτι πεφρίκασι τὸν Τηρέα καὶ
δεδοίκασι μή ποτε ἄρα προσερπύσας λάθρᾳ εἶτα
ἐργάσηται τραγῳδίαν καινήν. ἦν δὲ ἄρα καὶ τοῦτο
χελιδόνι δῶρον ἐκ τῆς φύσεως, ὥς γε ἐμὲ κρίνειν,
Τὸ τιμιώτατον" ᾿πηρωθεῖσα τὴν ὄψιν περόναις. ἐὰν
τύχῃ, ὁρᾷ αὖθις. τί οὖν ἔτι τὸν Τειρεσίαν ddoper,
καίτοι μὴ ἐνταυθὶ 5 ζμόνον»,} ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄδου
σοφώτατον, ὡς Ὅμηρος λέγει; ὯΝ

, 1: Ζῷα ἐφήμερα οὕτω κέκληται, λαβόντα τὸ
ὄνομα ἐκ τοῦ μέτρου τοῦ κατὰ τὸν βίον: τίκτεται
5 ~ 2 ἃ 3 7

γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴνῳ, καὶ ἀνοιχθέντος τοῦ σκεύους
τὰ δὲ ἐξέπτη καὶ εἶδε τὸ φῶς καὶ. τέθνηκεν.
οὐκοῦν παρελθεῖν μὲν αὐτοῖς ἐς τὸν βίον ἔδωκεν ἡ
φύσις, τῶν δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ κακῶν ἐρρύσατο τὴν ταχί-
στην, μήτε τι τῶν ἰδίων συμφορῶν σθημένοις
μήτε μὴν Twos τῶν ἀλλοτρίων μάρτυσι γεγενημέ-
νοις.

"ἢ é
2 μεταλάβωσιν. 2 ἐνταυθοῖ.
3 <udvov> add. H. 4 σοφώτατον ψυχῶν.

. μὲν yap.

@ 'Tereus Tied Procne and later anes false . oe
: retences,
her-sister Philomela, ‘To punish him Procne slow there son
Itys and then fled with her sister. When pursued by Tereus

96 ᾿

so they say ; not so Swallows: their manner of coupling mating

is the reverse. Nature alone knows the reason for
this. But the common explanation is that the hens
are afraid of Tereus,* and fear lest one day he steal

secretly upon them and enact a fresh tragedy. Now

in my opinion the most valuable gift that Nature has
bestowed upon the Swallow is this, that if it chance
to be blinded with a brooch-pin, it regains its sight.
Why then do we continue to sing the praises. of
Teiresias, even though he was the wisest of men not
only on earth but also in Hades, as Homer tells us

(Od. 10. 493]?

4. There are creatures called Ephemera (living only ‘Ephemera’

for ἃ day) ® that take their name from their span of
life, for they are generated in wine, and when the

vessel is opened they fly out, see the light, and die.

Thus it is that Nature has permitted them to come to

life, but has rescued them as soon as possible from

life’s evils, so that they are neither aware of their

own misfortune nor are spectators of the misfortune.
of others. .

all three were changed into birds, T. into a hoopoe (or hawk),
Procne a swallow, Philomela into a nightingale.

> Perhaps the ‘ Vinegar-fly,’ belonging to the genus Droso-
phila. ; |

ΟἹ

ἘΠ
Ὡς:
ἮΝ
᾿ ξ
3
4 :
ὶ
Ἷ
y
8
i
i

AELIAN

5. Ἤδη μέντοι τις Kal ἀσπίδος ἐν μακρῷ τῷ
χρόνῳ πληγὴν ἰάσατο ἢ τομὴν παραλαβὼν ἢ πῦρ
ὑπομείνας εὖ μάλα τλημόνως ἢ ἀναγκαίοις φαρμά-
κοις τὸ κακόν, ἵνα μὴ πρόσω ἑρπύσῃ,, στήσας ὁ
δείλαιος: σπιθαμὴ δὲ βασιλίσκου τὸ μῆκός ἐστι,
καὶ μέντοι καὶ θεασάμενος ὁ τῶν ὄφεων μήκιστος
αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐς ἀναβολὰς ἀλλὰ ἤδη ἐκ τῆς τοῦ
φυσήματος προσβολῆς αὖός ἐστιν. εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπος
κατέχοι ῥάβδον, εἶτα ταύτην ἐκεῖνος ἐνδάκοι,
τέθνηκεν 6 κύριος τῆς λύγου.

.6. Τὴν τῶν δελφίνων φιλομουσίαν καὶ τὸ τῶν
αὐτῶν ἐρωτικόν, τὸ μὲν ἄδουσι Κορώθιοι,) καὶ
ὁμολογοῦσιν αὐτοῖς Λέσβιοι, τὸ δὲ Ἰῆται 4" τὰ
μὲν ᾿Αρίονος ° τοῦ Μηθυμναίου ἐκεῖνοι, τά γε μὴν
ἐν τῇ Ἴῳ δ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τῆς
νήξεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ δελφῖνος οἱ ἕτεροι. λέγει
δὲ καὶ Βυζάντιος ἀνήρ, Λεωνίδης ὄνομα, ἰδεῖν
αὐτὸς παρὰ τὴν Αἰολίδα πλέων ἐν τῇ καλουμένῃ
Ποροσελήνῃ πόλει δελφῖνα ἠθάδα καὶ ἐν λιμένι
τῷ ἐκείνων οἰκοῦντα καὶ ὥσπερ. οὖν ἰδιοξένοις
χρώμενον τοῖς ἐκεῖθι. καὶ ἐπί γε τούτῳ ὁ αὐτὸς
λέγει πρεσβῦτιν 7 τινα καὶ γέροντα δὲ συνοικοῦντα
αὐτῇ ἐκθρέψαι τόνδε τὸν τρόφιμον δελέατά 8 οἱ
προτείνοντας καὶ μάλα 5 γε ἐφολκά. καὶ μέντοι
καὶ ὁμότροφός of ἦν ὁ τῶν πρεσβυτῶν υἱός, καὶ
ἐτιθηνοῦντο ἄμφω τὸν δελφῖνα καὶ τὸν παῖδα τὸν

: Jac: προσερπύσῃ. 2 δάκοι.

Η ΟΣ Αἰγύπτιοι. 4 Valesius: Tyirat.
ίωνος. 8 jus: Tt
’Ap i Valesius : Tye.
Kat πρεσβῦτιν. 8 δέλεάρ τε.

3. ἄλλα.

de peemner tet AMEIAMASSET a ωνυνίμα κασττ τ δ

while from the bite of an Asp,? either by summoning

‘And if a man has a stick in his hand and the Basilisk

ON ANIMALS, II. 5-6

5. Men have, it is true, recovered after a long The Asp,
1 }

excision to their aid or with the utmost fortitude
enduring cautery, or they have in their plight pre-
vented the poison from spreading by taking the
necessary medicines.

The Basilisk measures but a span, yet at the sight The α.
of it the longest snake not after an interval but on
the instant, at the mere impact of its breath, shrivels.

pONPENSH τη,

peed PEAT, eR SS RUSS BEREAN REEL SORGAREIAEEY, os
sennssancvnatehd WEARER SSA

“λλύρυεε εν
FE tated SLAY I ASFA CAS PEIN TELLS EOLA
LSE ITLL EES PTLD EEG TEEN LEE

psi
Lib εθλβυγδ,

ipa

αὶ seinen tte tO OCURENERLE ESOS Πόσον

bites it, the owner of the rod dies.

6. The Dolphin’s love of music and its affectionate Dolphin and
nature are a constant theme, the former with the ΠΟΥ eae
people of Corinth (with whom the Lesbians concur), |
the latter with the inhabitants of 105. The Lesbians ἡ |
tell the story of Arion of Methymna ; what happened
in Ios with the beautiful boy and his swimming and
the Dolphin is told by the inhabitants of Ios.

ΠΑ certain Byzantine, Leonidas by name, declares
that while sailing past Aeolis he saw with his own
eyes at the town called Poroselene ὃ a tame Dolphin
which lived in the harbour there and behaved towards
the inhabitants as though they were personal friends.
And further he declares that an aged couple fed this
foster-child, offering it the most alluring baits.
What is more, the old couple had a son who was
brought up along with the Dolphin, and the pair

@ But see 1. 54.
δ᾽ Poroselene, island and town, the largest of the Hecatonnesi

lying between Lesbos and Asia Minor.

AELIAN

! ἢ : - , 3 ,
σφέτερον, Kat πὼς ἐκ τῆς συντροφίας ἐλαθέτην
> Ld 3 ? :
ἐς ἔρωτα ἀλλήλων ὑπελθόντε 6 τε ἄνθρωπος καὶ

A “~ / “~ : ὃ 4 4 10 ᾽ὔ, Ὁ /... 1
“τὸ ζῷον, καὶ, τοῦτο δὴ τὸ ᾳἀδόμενον, ὑπέρσεμνος
f

avrépws ἐτιμᾶτο ἐν τοῖς προειρημένοις. ὁ τοίνυν
δελφὶς ὡς μὲν πατρίδα ἐφίλει τὴν ἸΠοροσελήνην,3
ὡς δὲ ἴδιον οἶκον ἠγάπα τὸν λιμένα, καὶ δὴ καὶ
τὰ τροφεῖα τοῖς θρεψαμένοις ἀπεδίδου. καὶ τοῦτων
γε ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ τρόπος. τέλειος ὧν τῆς ἀπὸ
χειρὸς τροφῆς ἐδεῖτο ἥκιστα, ἤδη γε μὴν καὶ
περαιτέρω προνέων καὶ περινηχόμενος καὶ σκοπῶν
ἄγρας ἐναλίους τὰ μὲν ἑαυτῷ δεῖπνον εἶχε, τὰ δὲ
τοῖς οἰκείοις ἀπέφερεν: οἱ δὲ ἤδεσαν τοῦτο καὶ

, 4 > £f : 4 3 ~ : :
- μέντοι Kal ἀνέμενον τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ φόρον ἀσμένως.

καὶ μία μὲν ἣν nde ἡ πρόσοδος, ἐκείνη δὲ ἄλλη.
ὄνομα ὃ τῷ δελφῖνι ὡς τῷ παιδὶ ot θρεψάμενοι
ἔθεντο: καὶ 6 παῖς τῇ συντροφίᾳ θαρρῶν, τοῦτο *
αὐτὸν ἐπί τινος προβλῆτος στὰς τόπου ἐκάλει, καὶ
ἅμα τῇ κλήσει καὶ ἐκολάκευεν". 6 δέ, εἴτε πρὸς
εἰρεσίαν ἡμιλλᾶτό τινα, εἴτ᾽ ἐκυβίστα τῶν ἄλλων
ὅσοι περὶ τὸν χῶρον ἐπλανῶντο ἀγελαῖοι κατα-
σκιρτῶν, εἴτ᾽ ἐθήρα ὃ ἐπειγούσης τῆς γαστρὸς
αὐτόν, ἐπανήει καὶ μάλα γε ὦκιστα δίκην ἐλαυνο-
μένης νεὼς πολλῷ τῷ ῥοθίῳ, καὶ πλησίον τῶν

~ la By -
παιδικῶν γενόμενος συμπαίστης τε ἦν καὶ συνε-

fs 4 ΄᾿ \ aN \ . “᾿ ᾿

σκίρτα, καὶ πῇ μὲν τῷ παιδὶ παρενήχετο, πῇ δὲ ὁ
a ‘ ᾿ 7 τ +e

δελφὶς οἷα προκαλούμενος εἶτα μέντοι ἐς τὴν

ῳ \_. \ \ Α “» :

ἅμιλλαν τὴν πρὸς ὃ αὑτὸν τὰ παιδικὰ ὑπῆγε. Kal
1. καὶ μάλα ὑ.

2 προειρημένην.

3. ὄνομα δὲ καί.

+ Schn: τοῦτον. ee ae Ἢ

5 εἴτε ἐς θήραν Kai μάλα ye.’ °° 8 εἰς:

aes ᾿ " ; πὰ a acco ae 2 oa μξω ο Pr ;
β ah

SEAS ALG SLENTAID EN BETLLSL BRS EE FCPS ALAN SES EDN YE LE

ON ANIMALS, IT. 6

cared for the Dolphin and their own son, and some-
how by dint of being brought up together the man-

child and the fish gradually came without knowing it

to love one another, and, as the oft-repeated tag has
it, ‘a super-reverent counter-love was cultivated ’
by the aforesaid. So then the Dolphin came to_
love Poroselene as his native country and grew as
fond of the harbour as of his own home, and what is
more, he repaid those who had cared for him what
they had spent on feeding him. And this was how
he did it. When fully grown he had no need of
being fed from the hand, but would now swim .
further out, and as he ranged abroad in his search for
some quarry from the sea, would keep some to feed
himself, and the rest he would bring to his ‘relations.’
And they were aware of this and were even glad to
wait for the tribute which he brought. This then
was one gain; another was. as follows. As to the
boy so to the Dolphin his foster-parents gave a
name, and the boy with the courage born of their
common upbringing would stand upon some spot
jutting into the sea and call the name, and as
he called would use soothing words. Whereat the

‘Dolphin, whether he was racing with some oared

ship, or plunging and leaping in scorn of all other
fish that roamed in shoals about the spot, or. was
hunting under stress of hunger, would rise to the
surface with all speed, like a ship that raises a
great wave as it drives onward, and drawing near to

his loved oné would frolic and gambol at his side;

at one moment would swim close by the boy, at
another would seem to challenge him and even
induce his favourite to race with him. And what was
even more astounding, he would at times even decline

AELIAN

τὸ ἔτι θαῦμα, ἀπέστη καὶ τῆς πρώτης ποτὲ Kal
δὴ καὶ ὑπενήξατο αὐτῷ, οἷα νικώμενος ἡδέως
δήπου. ταῦτα τοίνυν ἐκεκήρυκτο, καὶ τοῖς πλέου-
σιν ὅραμα ἐδόκει σὺν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὅσα ἡ πόλις
ἀγαθὰ εἶχε, κἀὶ τοῖς πρεσβύταις καὶ τῷ μειρακίῳ
πρόσοδος ἦν. ᾿

7. Ἔν Λιβύῃ ἡμιόνους 1 ἢ τετρωμένους ᾿Αρχέ-
λαος λέγει ἢ ἀπειπόντας ὑπὸ δίψους ἐρρῖφθαι
νεκροὺς πολλούς. πολλάκις δὲ ὄφεων ἐπιρρεῦσαν
φῦλον πάμπολυ τῶν κρεῶν ἐσθίειν: ἐπὰν δὲ
βασιλίσκου συρίγματος ἀκούσῃ, τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῖς
εἰλυοῖς 5 καὶ τῇ ψάμμῳ ἀφανίζεσθαι τὴν ταχίστην
καὶ ἀποκρύπτεσθαι, τὸν δὲ προσελθόντα κατὰ
πολλὴν τὴν εἰρήνην δειπνεῖν, εἶτα αὖθις ὑποσυρίζειν
καὶ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἡμιόνους καὶ τὸ
δεῖπνον τὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν σημαίνεσθαι τὸ ἐντεῦθεν, τὸ
τοῦ λόγου τοῦτο, ἄστροις.

8. Λόγοι φασὶν Ἐβοέων δεῦρο φοιτῶντες, τοὺς
ἁλιέας τοὺς ἐκεῖσε τοῖς δελφῖσι τοῖς ἐκεῖθι ἰσομοι-
ρίαν τῆς θήρας ἀπονέμειν: καὶ ἀκούω τὴν ἄγραν
τοιαύτην. γαλήνην εἶναι χρή, καὶ εἰ ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως

3 ΄- rf ~ 3 i : :
ἔχει, τῆς πρῴρας τῶν ἀκατίων κοίλας τινὰς

ἐξαρτῶσιν ἐσχαρίδας πυρὸς ἐνακμάζοντος. καὶ
εἰσὶ διαφανεῖς, ὡς καὶ στέγειν ὃ τὸ πῦρ καὶ μὴ
κρύπτειν τὸ φῶς. ἐπνοὺς καλοῦσιν αὐτάς. οἱ
τοίνυν ἰχθῦς δεδίασι τὴν αὐγὴν καὶ τὴν λαμπηδόνα
δυσωποῦνται" καὶ οἱ μὲν οὐκ εἰδότες 6 τι βούλεται

ε é
1 ἡμιόνους τινάς. 2 ἰλύσι.

3 Reiske: στέγειν καὶ.

οὔ

them lanterns.
ness and are dazzled by the glare, and some of them

ON ANIMALS, IT. 6-8 |

the winner’s place and actually swim second, as
though presumably he was glad to be defeated.

These happenings were noised abroad, and those
who sailed thither reckoned them among the excel-
lent sights which the city had to show; and to the
old people and to the boy they were a source of
revenue.

7. Archelaus tells us that in Libya mules that
have been wounded or which have succumbed from
thirst are thrown out for dead in great numbers.
And frequently a multitude of snakes of all kinds
comes streaming up to eat their flesh, but whenever
they hear the hiss of the Basilisk they disappear as
swiftly as possible into their dens or beneath the

The Basilisk

and other

snakes

sand, and hide; so the Basilisk on reaching the spot

feasts in complete tranquillity. Then again with a
hiss he is off, and thereafter as to the mules and to
the feast which they provide, ‘ he marks their place,’
as the saying has it, ‘ only by the stars.’ ὦ

8. There are stories which reach us from Euboea of ae

fisher-folk in those parts sharing their catch equally Dolphin

with the Dolphins in those parts. And 1 am told
that they fish in this way. The weather must be
calm, and if it is, they attach to the prow of their
boats some hollow braziers with fire burning in them,
and one can see through them, so that while retain-
ing the fire they do not conceal the light. They call
Now the fish are afraid of the bright-

not knowing what is the purpose of the thing they see,
4.7.6. he never returns; cp. Jebb on Soph. OT 795.

VOL. I. E

AELIAN”

TO δρώμενον, πλησιάζουσι, μαθεῖν. βουλόμενοι τοῦ

φοβοῦντος σφᾶς τὴν αἰτίαν: εἶτα ἐκπλαγέντες ἢ
πρός τινι πέτρᾳ ἡσυχάζουσιν ἀθρόοι παλλόμενοι
τῷ δέει ἢ ἐς τὴν ἠόνα ἐκπίπτουσιν ὠθούμενοι, καὶ
ἐοίκασι τοῖς ἐμβεβροντημένοις. οὕτω γε “μὴν
διακειμένους ῥᾷστόν ἐστιν ἤδη καὶ τριαίνῃ πατάξαι.
ἐπειδὰν οὖν θεάσωνται οἱ deAdives τοὺς ἁλιέας τὸ
πῦρ ἐξάψαντας, ἑαυτοὺς εὐτρεπίζουσι. καὶ οἱ
μὲν ἠρέμα ὑπερέττουσιν, οἱ δὲ δελῴϊνες τοὺς
ἐξωτέρω τῶν ἰχθύων φοβοῦντες ὠθοῦσι καὶ τοῦ
διαδιδράσκειν ἀναστέλλουσιν. οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνοι πιε-
ζόμενοι πανταχόθεν καὶ τρόπον τινὰ κεκυκλωμένοι
ἔκ τε τῆς τούτων εἰρεσίας καὶ τῆς νήξεως τῆς
ἐκείνων συνιᾶσιν ἀφυκτα εἶναί σφισι, καὶ παρα-
μένουσι καὶ ἁλίσκονται πάμπολύ τι χρῆμα. καὶ
οἱ deAdives προσίασιν 1 ὡς ἀπαιτοῦντες τοῦ κοινοῦ
πόνου τὴν ἐπικαρπίαν τὴν ὀφειλομένην σφίσιν ἐκ
τῆς νομῆς, καὶ οἵ γε ἁλιεῖς πιστῶς καὶ εὐγνωμόνως
ἀφίστανται τοῖς συνθήροις τοῦ δικαίου μέρους, εἰ
βούλονται καὶ πάλιν σφίσι συμμάχους ἀκλήτους
᾿ς παρεῖναι καὶ ἀπροφασίστους. πιστεύουσι γὰρ ot
᾿ ἐκεῖ θαλαττουργοὶ ὅτι παραβάντες ἕξουσιν ἐχθροὺς
οὗς εἶχον πρότερον φίλους.

9, "EAados ὄφιν νικᾷ, κατά τινα φύσεως δωρεὰν

θαυμαστήν: καὶ οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν διαλάθοι ἐν τῷ φω-.

λεῷ ὧν ὁ ἔχθιστος, ἀλλὰ προσερείσας τῇ κατα-
δρομῇ τοῦ δακετοῦ 5 τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μυκτῆρας βιαιό-
TaTa, ἐσπνεῖ, καὶ ἕλκει ὡς ἴυγγι τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ
ἄκοντα προάγει, καὶ προκύπτοντα αὐτὸν ἐσθίειν
ἄρχεται" καὶ μάλιστά γε διὰ χειμῶνος δρᾷ τοῦτο.
98 1 Schn: προΐασιν. |

: Weil atin sp Rerle ie. ie των
1o- dort nro esp hictttre th RAITT OC a sae oo ealae Sid basis facie

ccnanrenireiti SE 6 6,

i ae ΗΝ
ΑΝΘΘΟΌΟαΟ, οἱ ς.---..... ΕΛ ρον ον

ΡΣ τιν

τὰ

ah eeevancect beens

teste PELLETED CE o bE ee ptosis
ate an ATR te κττυτοτο

ON ANIMALS, II. 8-9

draw pear from a wish to discover: what it is that.
frightens them. Then terror-stricken they either
lie still in a mass close to some rock, quivering with
fear, or are cast ashore as they are jostled along, and
seem thunderstruck. Of course in that condition it
is perfectly easy to harpoon them. | So. when the
Dolphins observe that the fishermen have lit their fire,
they get ready to act, and while the men row softly
the Dolphins scare the fish on the outskirts and push
them and prevent any escape. Accordingly the fish
sressed on all sides and in some degree surrounded,
yealise that there is no escaping from the men that

row and the Dolphins that swim; so they remain

where they are and are caught in great numbers.
And the Dolphins approach as though demanding
the profits of their common labour due to them from
this store of food. And the fishermen loyally and
gratefully resign to their comrades in the chase their
just portion—assuming that they wish them to come
again, unsummoned and prompt, to their aid, for
those toilers of the. sea are convinced that if they
omit to do this, they will make enemies of those who

were once friends.

9. A Deer defeats a snake by an extraordinary gift
that Nature has bestowed. And the fiercest snake
lying in its den cannot escape, but the Deer applies
its nostrils to the spot where the venomous creature
lurks, breathes into it with the utmost force, attracts
it by the spell, as it. were, of its breath, draws it

forth against its will, and when it peeps out, begins

to eat it. Especially in the winter does it do this.

2 τοῦ δόμου.

99.

AELIAN

ἤδη μέντοι tis! Kai κέρας ἐλάφου ἕξέσὰς, εἶτα τὸ
ἕξέσμα ἐς πῦρ ἐνέβαλε, καὶ 6 καπνὸς ἀνιὼν διώκει
τοὺς ὄφεις πανταχόθεν, μηδὲ τὴν ὀσμὴν ὑπομέ-
νοντας.

10. "Ἔστι μὲν τὴν ἄλλως * ὁ ἵππος γαῦρον: καὶ
γὰρ καὶ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ τὸ τάχος αὐτὸν καὶ τοῦ
αὐχένος τὸ ὑψηλὸν καὶ ἡ τῶν σκελῶν ὑγρότης καὶ
ἡ τῶν ὁπλῶν κροῦσις ὃ ἐς φρύαγμα καὶ τῦφον
ἀνάγει" μάλιστα δὲ κομῶσα ἵππος ἁβρότατόν τέ
ἐστι καὶ θρυπτικώτατον. ἀτιμάζει γοῦν ἀναβῆναι
τοὺς ὄνους αὐτήν, ἵππῳ δὲ γαμουμένη ἥδεται, καὶ
ἑαυτὴν ἀξιοῖ τῶν μεγίστων. ὅπερ οὖν συνειδότες
ot βουλόμενοι ἡμιόνους σφίσι γενέσθαι, ἀποθρί-
σαντες τῆς ἵππου τὴν χαίτην εἰκῆ καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν,
εἶτα μέντοι τοὺς ὄνους ἐπάγουσιν: ἡ δὲ ὑπομένει
τὸν ἄδοξον ἤδη γαμέτην, πρῶτον αἰδουμένη. καὶ
Σοφοκλῆς δὲ ἔοικε μεμνῆσθαι τοῦ πάθους.

11. Περὶ μὲν τῆς τῶν ἐλεφάντων σοφίας εἶπον
ἀλλαχόθι, καὶ μέντοι καὶ περὶ τῆς θήρας αὐτῶν
καὶ ταύτης ἃ εἶπον ὀλίγα ἐκ πολλῶν ὧν ἔφασαν
ἄλλοι. τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον ἔοικα ὅ ἐρεῖν περί τε
εὐμουσίας αὐτῶν καὶ εὐπειθείας καὶ τῆς ἐς τὰ
μαθήματα εὐκολίας, χαλεπὰ ὅμως ὄντα καὶ

3 7 »“» ? ~
ἀνθρώπῳ roxeiv,® μὴ τι γοῦν τοσούτῳ θηρίῳ καὶ
5 [2 [

τὰ / 7
οὕτω τέως ἀγριωτάτῳ συγγενέσθαι. χορείαν γὰρ
\ ? 4 A f
Kal ὀρχηστικὴν Kat βαίνειν πρὸς ῥυθμὸν καὶ
1 σις after ἐλάφου in MSS.
ῷ Ἅ wv + 3 ~ ¥
τὴν ἄλλως Kal ἐκ τῶν dAdwv..

3 κροῦσις πάντα.
4 ταῦτα. 5 Schn: ἔθηκα.

100

ON ANIMALS, II. 9-11

Indeed it has even happened that a man has ground
a Deer’s horn to powder and then has thrown the
powder into fire, and that the mounting smoke has
driven the snakes from all the neighbourhood: even
the smell is to them unendurable.

10. The Horse is generally speaking a proud crea- Mare and

ture, the reason being that his size, his speed, his
tall neck, the suppleness of his limbs, and the clang
of his hooves make him insolent and vain. But it is
chiefly a Mare with a long mane that is so full of airs
and graces. For instance, she scorns to be covered
by an ass, but is glad to mate with a horse, regarding
herself as only fit for the greatest <of her kind).
Accordingly those who wish to have mules born,
knowing this characteristic, clip the Mare’s mane in
a haphazard fashion anyhow, and then put asses to
her. Though ashamed at first, she admits her present
ignoble mate. Sophocles also appears to mention
this humiliation [ fr. 659P].¢

11. Touching the sagacity of Elephants I have
spoken elsewhere; and further, I have spoken too
of the manner of hunting them, mentioning but a
few of the numerous facts recorded by others. For
the present I intend to speak of their sense for music
and their readiness to obey and their aptitude for
learning things which are difficult even for mankind,
to say nothing of so huge an animal and one hitherto
so fierce to encounter. The movements of a chorus,
the steps of a dance, how to march in time, how to

@ See 11. 18.

. 5. χγρχεῖν αὐτῶν.

Aol

The
Hiephant,
its docility

AELIAN

αὐλοῦ ἀσμένως 1 ἀκούειν καὶ συνιέναι ἤχων δια-
φοράς, ἢ βραδύνειν ἐνδιδόντων ἢ ταχύνειν παρορ-
μώντων, μαθὼν. οἶδεν ἐλέφας, καὶ ἀκριβοῖ καὶ
οὐ σφάλλεται. οὕτως ἄρα ἡ φύσις μεγέθει μὲν
αὐτὸν μέγιστον εἰργάσατο, μάθησις "' δὲ πραότατον
ἀπέφηνε καὶ εὐάγωγον. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔμελλον τὴν ἐν
Ϊνδοῖς αὐτῶν εὐπείθειαν καὶ εὐμάθειαν ἢ τὴν ἐν
Αἰθιοπίᾳ ἢ τὴν ἐν Λιβύῃ γράφειν, ἴσως dv τῳ καὶ
μῦθον ἐδόκουν τινὰ συμπλάσας κομπάζειν, εἶτα
. ἐπὶ φήμῃ τοῦ θηρίου τῆς φύσεως καταψεύδεσθαι:
ὅπερ͵ ἐχρῆν δρᾶν φιλοσοφοῦντα ἄνδρα ἥκιστα καὶ
ἀληθείας ἐραστὴν διάπυρον. ἃ δὲ αὐτὸς εἶδον καὶ
ἅτινα πρότερον ἐν τῇ Ρώμῃ πραχθέντα ἀνέγραψαν
ἄλλοι προειλόμην εἰπεῖν, ἐπιδραμὼν ὀλίγα ἐκ πολ-
λῶν, οὐχ ἥκιστα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδεικνὺς τὴν τοῦ
ζῴου ἰδιότητα. , ἡμερωθεὶς 4 ἐλέφας πραότατόν
ἐστι, καὶ. ἄγεται ῥᾷστα ἐς 6 τί τις ® θέλει. Kal τά
γε πρεσβύτατα τιμῶν τὸν χρόνον ἐρῶ πρῶτον.
θέας ἐπετέλει. Ῥωμαίοις ὁ Ττερμανικὸς ὃ Καῖσαρ."
εἴη ὃ ἂν ἀδελφιδοῦς Τιβερίον οὗτος. οὐκοῦν
ἐγένοντο
καὶ θήλειαι, εἶτα ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐτέχθησαν αὐθιγενεῖς.
καὶ ὅτε τὰ κῶλα ὑπήρξαντο πήγνυσθαι, σοφὸς

ἀνὴρ ὁμιλεῖν τοιούτοις θηρίοις ἐπώλ ous,
nptots ἐπώλευσεν αὐτούς,

/ ‘ 4 24 on
δαιμονίᾳ τινὲ καὶ ἐκπληκτικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ μεταχει-

ρισάμενος. προσῆγε δὲ αὐτοὺς ἄρα ἡσυχῆ τήν ye:

4 , 7 “a f
πρώτην Kat πράως τοῖς διδάγμασι δελέατα ἄττα

> ~ 3 /
1 αὐλοῦ dopévws] αὐλουμένους.

2 Jac: μαθήσει.

3 τῶν ζῴων.
* Schn: ἡμερωθέν.
5 6 τις. 8 ἐγένοντο μέν.

102

\ » 3 am ¢ ? / .
καὶ ἄρρενες ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ τέλειοι πλείους

ON ΑΝΙΜΑΙ, II. τὰ

enjoy the sound of flutes, how to distinguish different
notes, when to slacken pace as permitted or when to
quicken at command—all these things the Elephant
has learnt and knows how to do, and does accurately
without making mistakes. Thus, while nature has
ereated him to be the largest of animals, learning
has rendered him the most gentle and docile. Now
had I set out to write about the readiness to obey
and to learn among elephants in India or in Ethiopia
or in Libya, anyone might suppose that I was con-
cocting some pretentious tale, that in fact I was on
the strength of hearsay about the beast giving a
completely false account of its nature. That is the
last thing that a man in pursuit of knowledge and an
ardent lover of the truth has any right to do. In-
stead I have preferred to state what I have myself
seen and what others have recorded as having
formerly occurred in Rome, treating summarily a
few facts out of many, which nevertheless sufficiently
demonstrate the peculiar nature of the beast.

The Elephant when once tamed is the gentlest of P

Elephants

erforming

creatures and is easily induced to do whatever one in Rome

wants. Now keeping due eye on the time, 1 shail
state the most important events first. Germanicus
Caesar was about to give some shows for the Romans.
(He would be the nephew ¢ of Tiberius.) There were
in Rome several full-grown male and female elephants,
and there were calves born of them in the country ;
and when their limbs began to grow firm, a man who
was clever at dealing with such beasts trained them
and instructed them with uncanny and astounding
dexterity. To begin with he introduced them in a
quiet, gentle fashion to his instructions, supplying

α Or rather, the adopted son.

103

AELIAN

ἐπάγων Kal τροφὰς ἡδίστας καὶ πεποικιλμένας ἐς
τὸ ἐπαγωγόν 1 τε καὶ ἐφολκόν, ὡς εἴ τι μὲν ἣν 3
ἀγριότητος, τοῦτο ἐκβαλεῖν, ἀπαυτομολῆσαι ὃ δὲ
πρὸς τὸ ἥμερον καὶ ἁμωσγέπως ἀνθρώπειον. καὶ
ἦν γε τὰ μαθήματα αὐλῶν * ἀκούοντας μὴ ἐκμαΐί-
νεσθαι, καὶ τυμπάνων ἀράβου κροτοῦντος μὴ
ταράττεσθαι, καὶ κηλεῖσθαι σύριγγι, φέρειν δὲ καὶ

3 3

ἤχους ἐκμελεῖς ὅ καὶ ποδῶν ἐμβαινόντων ψόφον

καὶ pony συμμιγῆ: ἐξεπονήθησαν δὲ καὶ ἀνθρώπων
πλῆθος μὴ δεδιέναι. ἦν δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖνα διδάγματα
ἀνδρικά, πρὸς τὴν τῆς πληγῆς καταφορὰν μὴ θυ-
μοῦσθαι, μηδὲ μὴν ἀναγκαζομένους λυγίζειν τι
τῶν μελῶν καὶ κάμπτειν ὀρχηστικῶς τε καὶ χορι-
κῶς εἶτα ἐς θυμὸν ἐξάπτεσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα ῥώμης
τε καὶ ἀλκῆς εὖ ἥκοντας. φύσει μὲν οὖν τοῦτο
πλεονέκτημα ἤδη καὶ μάλα γεννικόν, μὴ ἔχειν
ἀτάκτως μηδὲ ἀπειθῶς πρὸς παιδεύματα ἀνθρω-
mud: ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπέφηνεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ὀρχηστοδιδάσκα-
dos καὶ μάλα γε σοφούς, καὶ ἠκρίβουν τὰ ἐκ τῆς
᾿ παιδεύσεως, οὐκ ἐψεύσαντο τῆς διδασκαλίας τὸν
πόνον, φασίν, ἔνθα ἐπιδείξασθαι τὰ παιδεύματα
αὐτοὺς ἡ χρεία σὺν τῷ καιρῷ παρεκάλει. δώδεκα
μὲν γὰρ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὅδε 6 χορὸς ἦσαν: παρῆλθόν
γε μὴν ἐντεῦθεν τοῦ θεάτρου καὶ ἐκεῖθεν νεμηθέντες,
καὶ εἰσήεσαν ἁβρὰ μὲν βαΐνοντες, θρυπτικῶς δὲ
τὸ σῶμα πᾶν διαχέοντες, καὶ ἠμπείχοντο χορευτι-
Kas στολὰς καὶ ἀνθινάς. καὶ τοῦ γε χορολέκτου
τῇ φωνῇ μόνον ὑποσημήναντος οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ στοῖχον
ἤεσαν, φασίν, εἰ τοῦτο ἐκέλευσεν 6 διδάξας. εἶτα

3 7 “-
: ἀγωγόν. 2 εἰ μέν τι ἐνῆν Cobet.
- ‘ ~
ἐπαυτομολῆσαι. ., καὶ αὐλῶν.

104

ON ANIMALS, Il. τ

them with delicacies and the most appetising food,
varied so as to allure and entice them into abandon-
ing all trace of ferocity and into becoming renegades,
that is tame and to some degree human. So what
they learnt was not to go wild at the sound of flutes,
not to be alarmed at the beating of drums, to be
charmed by the pipe and to endure discordant notes,
the beat of marching feet, and the singing of crowds.
Moreover they were thoroughly trained not to be
afraid of men in masses. And further their dis-
ciplining was manly in the following respects: they
were not to get angry at the infliction of a blow, nor,
when obliged to move some limb and to sway in time
to dance or song, to burst into.a rage, even though
they had attained to such strength and courage. Now
to refrain by instinct from misbehaving and from
flouting the instruction given by a man is a virtue and
a mark of nobility. When therefore the dancing-
master had brought them to a high degree of pro-
ficiency, and they performed accurately what he had
taught them, they did not disappoint the labour
spent on their training (so they say) in the place
where in due time the occasion demanded that they
should display what they had been taught. Now
this troupe was twelve in number, and they advanced
in two groups from the right and the left sides of the
theatre. They entered with a mincing gait, sway-
ing their whole body in a delicate manner, and they
were clothed in the flowered garments of dancers.
And at no more than a word from the conductor they
formed into line (so we are told)—supposing that to
have been their teacher’s order. Then again they

5 Jac: ἐμμελεῖς.

105

πα pict maeasniounnsse said

AELIAN

> 7 , > :
ad πάλιν περιήρχοντο ἐς κύκλον, ὑποσημήναντος

ἰέναι ταύτῃ" καὶ εἰ ἐξελίττειν ἔδει, ἔπραττον αὐτό,
καὶ ἄνθη μέντοι ῥιπτοῦντες ἐκόσμουν τὸ δάπεδον
οἷδε, μέτρῳ καὶ φειδοῖ δρῶντες, Kat τι καὶ}
ἐπεκτύπουν τοῖς ποσί, χόρειόν τε ὃ καὶ συμμελὲς
ὁμορροθοῦντες οἱ αὐτοί. Δάμωνα μὲν οὖν καὶ
Σπίνθαρον καὶ ᾿Αριστόξενον καὶ Φιλόξενον καὶ ἀλ-
λους ἐπαΐειν μουσικῆς κάλλιστα καὶ ἐν ὀλίγοις
ἐξετάζεσθαι τήνδε τὴν σοφίαν θαυμαστὸν μέν
ἄπιστον δὲ καὶ παράλογον οὐδαμῶς" τὸ δὲ alrtov,
ἄνθρωπος ζῷόν ἐστι λογικὸν καὶ νοῦ καὶ λογισμοῦ
χωρητικόν' ζῷον δὲ ἄναρθρον συνιέναι καὶ ῥυθμοῦ
καὶ μέλους καὶ φυλάττειν σχῆμα. καὶ ἐμμέλειαν
μὴ παρατρέπειν καὶ ἀποπληροῦν τῶν διδαχθέντων
τὴν ἀπαίτησιν, φύσεως δῶρα ταῦτα ἅμα καὶ
ἰδιότης καθ ἕκαστον ἐκπληκτική. τὰ δὲ ἐπὶ
τούτοις καὶ ἐκμῆναι ὃ τὸν θεατὴν ἱκανά" χαμαι-
ζήλων κλινῶν στιβάδες * ἐν τῇ ψάμμῳ τοῦ θεάτρου
τεθεῖσαι, εἶτα ἐδέξαντο τυλεῖα ® καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις

Ἀ ? > ἢ
OT 6 ? > 7 Ξ
ρωμνὴν ποικίλην, οἰκίας ὃ μέγα εὐδαίμονος καὶ

[4 ~
το ee σαφῆ 7 μαρτύρια: καὶ κυλίκια ἦν
lon \ “~
πο υτελῆ παρακείμενα καὶ κρατῆρες χρυσοῖ καὶ
“a 3 a a
ἀργυροῖ, καὶ ev αὐτοῖς ὕδωρ πάμπολυ, tpamelai

: i /
Te παρέκειντο θύου τε Kat ἐλέφαντος εὖ μάλα

͵ ‘1 > ? 5 > “~
| ooBapat, Kat hv er αὐτῶν κρέα καὶ ἄρτοι, παμβο-
ρωτάτων ἐμπλῆσαι Caw 1 ἱκανὰ 5
senda μπλῆ pwv γαστέρας ἱκανὰ ταῦτα.
“Ὁ ~ 2
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ τῆς παρασκευῆς ἔκπλεά τε καὶ ἀμφιλαφῆ
Ω - 7
ἦν, παρῆλθον οἱ δαιτυμόνες, ἕξ μὲν ἄρρενες, ἰσά-
1 καί τι Kai] αὐτίκα δ᾽. |
5. σι, 3. ἐκμᾷ
ἐκμᾶναι.

4 Wytt: ὡς στιβάδες.

5 σύλια.
τού

ἶ
Ϊ
|
ἶ
]
ἰ
Η
͵
ΗΝ
J
ἢ
|
i
ἢ

ON ANIMALS, II. 11

wheeled into a circle when he so ordered them, and
if they had to deploy, that also they did. And then
they sprinkled flowers to deck the floor, but with

moderation and economy,
stamped, keeping time in a

That .Damon therefore,
xenus, Philoxenus, and oth
music and should be numbered among th

and now and again they
rhythmical dance.

that Spintharus, Aristo-
ers should be experts in

e few for

their knowledge of it is certainly matter for wonder
but by no means incredible or absurd. The reason

is that man is a rational animal capable of under-
standing and logical thought. But that an in-
articulate animal should comprehend rhythm and

melody, should follow th

dance without a false

lessons required of it—these a
Nature, and each one is a singularity th

with amazement.

But what followed was enough

e movements of a tragic

step, fulfilling all that its

re gifts bestowed by
at fills one.

to send the specta-

tor wild with delight. On the sand of the theatre

were placed mattresses 0

f low couches, and on these

in turn cushions, and over them embroidered cover-
lets, clear evidence of a house of great prosperity and

ancestral wealth. And close at

hand were set costly

goblets and bowls of gold and of silver, and in them

a large quantity of water;

and beside them were

placed tables of citrus wood and of ivory, of great
were laden with meat and

magnificence, and they

bread enough to satisfy
voracious animals. So a

were completed in all

queters came on, Six males and an equal number of

ee -».».....--ο-.--....-------

6 + 2 9,
και οἰκίας.

their abundance,

the stomachs of the most
s soon as the preparations

the ban-

i a

7 σαφῶς.

107

Elephants
at a banquet

ἀν το Se

Oe Rt DTS EAE

pt bth A EEDA AAA Ea wd λα ee Pane PLATE EAE LOLA SI AS. ALO rf MVPS CLIEL
PELL ALENT ESL LA att BREN Eo FE AMIS OC DLN TTL ΛΑ BOER AST EA NE TGR LEAMA S SLICE IE EEL ELENA LLL τας ΠΕ ΕΣ ΕΞ.

AELIAN

ριθμοι δὲ αἱ θήλειαι αὐτοῖς" καὶ of μὲν 1 ἀρρενωπὸν
στολὴν εἶχον, αἱ δὲ θῆλυν, καὶ κατεκλίνησαν 3 σὺν
κοσμῳ συνδυασθέντες ἄρρεν τε καὶ θῆλυ. καὶ
ὑποσημήναντος τὰς προβοσκίδας ὡς χεῖρας κεκο-
ἀσμένως προύτεινον, καὶ ἐσιτοῦντο εὖ μάλα
σωφρόνως" καὶ οὔτε τις αὐτῶν ἔδοξεν ἀδηφάγος
οὔτε μὴν προτένθης τις ἢ τῆς μοίρας τῆς μείζονος
ἁρπακτικός, ὡς ὁ ἱϊέρσης. ὁ παρὰ τῷ Ἐενοφῶντι
τῷ χρυσῷ. ἐπεὶ δὲ πίνειν ἔδει, ἑκάστῳ κρατὴρ
παρετέθη, καὶ ἀρυτόμενοι ταῖς προβοσκίσι τὸ
ποτὸν ἔπινον κεκοσμημένως, εἶτα ἀπέρραινον σὺν
παιδιᾷ καὶ οὐχ ὕβρει. πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα ἀνέγρα-
pay ® τοιαῦτα τῆς ἰδιάτητος τῶνδε τῶν ζῴων
σοφὰ καὶ ἐκπληκτικά. ἐγὼ δὲ εἶδον καὶ γράμματα
γράφοντα ἐπὶ πίνακος -Ῥωμαῖα ἀστραβῶς τῇ
προβοσκίδι καὶ ἀτρέπτως: πλὴν ἐπέκειτο <4) 4
χεὶρ τοῦ διδάξαντος ἐς τὴν τῶν γραμμάτων
παιδαγωγοῦσα. περιγραφήν, ἔστε ἀπογράψαι τὸ
ζῷον" τὸ δὲ ἀτενὲς ἑώρα κάτω. πεπαιδευμένους
εἶναι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῷ ζῴῳ καὶ γραμματικοὺς
εἶπες av.

12. "Ἔχει μέντοι καὶ 6 λαγὼς ὅ συμφυεῖς ἰδιό-
τητας. ἐκπεπταμένοις μὲν γὰρ τοῖς βλεφάροις
καθεύδει, κάτηγορεϊ δὲ αὑτοῦ τὰ ἔτη τρώγλας
τινὰς ὑποφαίνων. φέρει δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ νηδύι τὰ
μὲν ἡμιτελῆ, τὰ δὲ ὠδίνει, τὰ δὲ ἤδη οἱ τέτεκται.

οἱ μὲν ἐλέφαντες. Ὁ 2 {

3 Schn: ἀνέγραψα. a
4 <m> add. Schn.

λαγωός.

σι

τοῦ

ON ANIMALS, II. 11-12

females; the former were clad in masculine garb, the.
latter in feminine; and they took their places in
orderly fashion in pairs, a male and a female. And
at a signal they reached forward their trunks
modestly, as though they were hands, and ate with
great decorum. And not one of them gave the
impression of being a glutton nor yet of trying to
forestall others or of being inclined to snatch too
large a portion, as the Persian did who occurs in
Xenophon the golden.? . And when they wanted to
drink, a bowl was placed by each one, from which
they sucked up the water with their trunks and
drank it in an orderly manner, and then proceeded to
squirt <the attendants» ὃ in fun, not by way of insult.

Many similar stories have been recorded showing
the astounding ingenuity of these animals. And I
myself have seen one actually with its trunk writing
Roman letters on a tablet in a straight line without
any deviation. The only thing was that the in-

‘structor’s hand was laid upon it, directing it to the

shape of the letters until the animal had finished
writing; and it looked intently down. You would
have said that the animal’s eyes had been taught
and knew the letters.

12. The Hare has certain innate. characteristics.
For one thing it sleeps with its eyelids open; for
another it proclaims its age when it half shows certain
apertures, Also it carries some of its young half-
formed in its womb, some it is in process of bearing,
others it has already borne. :

& Xen. An. 7.3. 23; Arystas was however an Arcadian, not
a Persian. ‘Golden,’ cf. Diog. La. 10. 8 Πλάτωνα χρινοῦν,

Lauer. 3. 12 [Epicurt] aurea dicta.
> Or ‘each other’?

The Hare

109.

Siac τα στῶ ἡπονγχνσατωνν γα ται συν tt

AELIAN -

18. Ta κήτη τὰ μεγάλα πάντα 1 ἄνευ -κυνῶν
δεῖται τοῦ ἡγεμόνος, καὶ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐκείνου
ἄγεται. ἔστι δὲ ἰχθὺς μικρὸς 5 καὶ λεπτός, τὴν
κεφαλὴν προμήκης" στενὸν <Sé>4 αὐτῷ τὸ
οὐραῖον συμπέφυκεν, ὡς οἱ τούτων λέγουσι σοφοί.
εἴτε δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον παρέδωκε τῷ κήτει ἡ φύσις
ἑκάστῳ, εἴτε φιλίᾳ αὐτῷ ὅ ἑκὼν πρόσεισιν, οὐκ
οἶδα- φύσεως δὲ ἀνάγκην εἶναι τὸ πραττόμενον
μᾶλλον πεπίστευκα. νήχεται γὰρ ὅδε 6 ἰχθὺς
οὐδεπώποτε ἑαυτῷ, πρόεισι δὲ τῆς τοῦ κήτους
κεφαλῆς, καὶ ἡγεμών ἐστιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὡς εἰπεῖν
οἴαξ. προορᾷ γοῦν ἐκείνῳ τὰ πάντα καὶ προαισθά-
νεται τῷ αὐτῷ, καὶ προδιδάσκει ἕκαστα τῆς
οὐρᾶς τῷ ἄκρῳ, καὶ παρέψαυσε τούτῳ, καὶ ἔδωκε
σύνθημα, καὶ τῶν μὲν φοβερῶν ἀνέστειλεν, ἐπί γε
μὴν τὰ θρέψοντα προάγει, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν θηρατῶν
ἐπιβουλὴν διδάσκει σημείῳ τινὲ ἀτεκμάρτῳ, καὶ
τῶν τόπων ὧν οὐ χρὴ τοσοῦτον θηρίον ἐπιβῆναι
προμηνύει, ἵνα μή πρτε ἄρδην ἐς ἕρμα περισχεθὲν
ἀπόληται. ἡ τοίνυν τοῦ βίου ὑπόθεσις τῷ μεγίστῳ
τὸ βράχιστόν ἐστιν. ἔοικε δὲ καταπιανθὲν τὸ
Cov μήτε ὁρᾶν ἔτι μήτε ἀκούειν, εἶναι δὲ πρόβλημα
καὶ τῆς ὄψεως καὶ τῆς ἀκοῆς τῶν σαρκῶν τὸν
ὄγκον. οὐχ ὁρᾶται δὲ τοῦ κήτους ἔρημος, GANG
ἀνάγκη, τοῦ πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν προειρημένων
αὐτίου προαπολωλότος, καὶ ἐκεῖνο ἀπολέσθαι.

1 ὀλίγου πάντα.
λευκός.
ἃ ζδέςΣ add. Η.
5 Reiske: αὐτῶν.
8 Jac: πρό
: πρόεισιν.
1 Abresch: αὐτῷ.

2 Ges: μακρός..

στὸ

ON ANIMALS, II. τῷ

13. All the large fishes, with the exception of the Fishes and
Shark, require a leader, and are guided by its eyes. leaders

The leader is a small, slim fish with an elongated
head, but its tail is narrow, according to the authori-
ties on the subject. But whether Nature has con-
ferred upon each large fish the aforesaid guide, or
whether it associates with the large fish of its own
free will out of friendliness, I am unable to say, but
I prefer to believe that this is done under the com-

᾿ pulsion of Nature, for this fish never swims by itself,

but moves in front of the large fish’s head and is its
leader and, as it were, tiller. [or instance, it fore-
sees and takes previous notice of everything on be-
half of the large fish; it forewarns it of everything
by the tip of its tail, and by its contact signals to the
fish, keeping it away from what is to be feared but
leading it on to what will feed it. And by some
invisible sign it warns the fish that its pursuers have
designs upon it, and gives timely indication of those
spots which a creature of its size ought not to ap-
proach, if it is not to be surrounded and perish utterly’

on some reef. | Ὅν
So then the first essential for the life of the largest
of creatures is the smallest. And it seems that when
the large fish becomes very fat it can no longer see
nor hear, the vast bulk of its flesh being an-obstacle
to sight and to hearing. But the ‘leader ’ is never
seen apart from the large fish; if however, with its
responsibility for the services described above, it
dies first, then the large fish is bound to die
also. | | 7
III

AELIAN

E ~ > / / :
14. Χαμαιλέων τὸ ζῷον ἐς μίαν 1. χρόαν οὐ
’ " cia ” 7 a
πέφυκεν οὔτε ὁρᾶσθαι οὔτε γνωρίζεσθαι, κλέπτει
δὲ ἑαυτὸν πλανῶν τε ἅμα καὶ παρατρέπων τὴν
τῶν ὁρώντων ὄψιν. εἰ γὰρ περιτύχοις μέλανι τὸ
> € Ἁ > / A f 3 / ᾿ς
εἶδος, ὁ δὲ ἐξέτρεψε τὸ μόρφωμα ἐς χλωρότητα,
ὥσπερ οὖν μεταμφιεσάμενος3' εἶτα μέντοι ἀλλοῖος
ἐφάνη γλαυκότητα 8 ὑποδύς, καθάπερ προσωπεῖον
ἕτερον ἢ στολὴν ὑποκριτὴς ἄλλην. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν
ay? of 3 “ : bb ‘ \ 7 \
ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, pain Tis av Kat THY φύσιν μὴ
καθέψουσαν μηδὲ ἐπιχρίουσαν φαρμάκοις, ὥσπερ
οὖν ἢ Μήδειάν τινα ἢ Κίρκην, καὶ ΐ
φαρμακίδα εἶναι.

15. Πομπίλον ὅ πελάγιον καὶ βυθῷ φιληδοῦντα
εἰδέναι χρὴ μάλιστα ἰχθύων ὧν ἴσμεν ἀκοῇ" μισεῖ
δὲ ἢ αὐτὸς τὴν γῆν ἢ τὸν ἰχθὺν ἐκείνη. τεμνούσας
δὲ ἄρα μέσον τὸν πόρον τὰς ναῦς οἵδε οὗ πομπίλοι

ὥσπερ οὖν ἐρωμένας προσνέοντες δορυφοροῦσι, καὶ:
; 7

“- ‘ > A vA <4
δεῦρο καὶ ἐκεῖσε περιέρχονται γχορεύοντες ® ἅμα
A ~ ἕξ ee Ss / ¢ fa
καὶ πηδῶντες. οὗ μὲν οὖν περίνεῳ omdcov7
3 “~ 8 “~ ~ δὲ Δ 9 ? : a 3 7
ἀφεστᾶσι8 τῆς γῆς, οὐδὲ ἕν αὐτοῖς εἰδέναι
΄ δ . Se κα , θαι 10 μέ
πάρεστι δήπου" οἱ δὲ ναῦται, κλέπτεσθαι 19 μέντοι
" > a \ tA θὲ ” θ va \ 11 ᾿ fd
καὶ αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀληθὲς εἴωθεν. ot ye μὴν © πομπίλοι

/ uv , > 7 4 A ? .
μακρόθεν ἤσθοντο δίκην εὐρίνου κυνὸς τὸ θήραμα

e / f \ ,ὔ »"
᾿ἑλούσης τάχιστα, καὶ οὐκέτι τοσοῦτος αὐτοὺς
7 ᾿ 7] 7 3 4
ἔρως νεὼς καταλαμβάνει, ws παραμένειν, ἀλλὰ
1 εἰς ἐδίαν μίαν. |
3 μεταμφιασάμενος.
3 Pauw: λευκότητα.
4 καὶ μῶντοι καί.
5 Ges here and below: πόμφυ-.
ὃ καὶ δεῦρο. . . xopedovres] καὶ ἐκεῖθι περιέρχονται xopevovres
καὶ δεῦρο.

II2

it
sites ¥
ale T Ey stiles TELE

ΠΤ sniteetsstst freee

ἐκείνην :

pote.
‘su

ἐμὴ

ON ANIMALS, II. 14-15

14. The Chameleon is not disposed to remain of Te τ

one and the same colour for men to see and recognise,
but it conceals itself by misleading and deceiving the
eye of the beholder. Thus, if you come across one
that appears black, it changes its semblance to green,
as though it had changed its clothes; then again it
assumes a bluish-grey tint and appears different, like
an actor who puts on another mask or another gar-
ment. This being so, one might say that even
Nature, though she does not boil anyone down nor
apply drugs, like a Medea or a Circe, is also a

sorceress.

15. You must know that the Pilot-fish frequents the
open sea and loves to dwell in the depths more than
all others of which we have heard tell. But either it
detests the land or the land detests the fish. Well,
when vessels are cleaving the mid-ocean these Pilot-
fish swim up as though they were in love with them and.
attend them like a bodyguard, circling this way and
that as they gambol and leap. Now the passengers

The
Pilot-fish

ave of course totally unable to tell how far they
are from land, and even the sailors themselves are

frequently mistaken as to the true fact. The

Pilot-fish however can tell from a long way off,

like a keen-scented hound which immediately gets
wind of the prey, and then they are no longer so
captivated by the vessel as to stay at her. side, but

nnn τ ΜΕ τσ aa
.ι8. ἀφεστάναι.

ς f
7 Jac: πάντες ὁπόταν. ! ,
10 Jac: καὶ πταίεσθαι.

® οὐδέν MSS always.
1L ἀλλ᾽ οἵ γε μήν.

113

AELIAN

οἷα ὑπὸ συνθήματι ἀθρόοι γενόμενοι 1 ᾧχοντο ?
ἀπιόντες. καὶ ἴσασιν ἐντεῦθεν οἱ τῆς νεὼς ἄρχοντες
ὅτι ἄρα χρὴ περιβλέπειν γῆν οὐ πυρσοῖς τεκμαι-
ρομένους ἀλλὰ τοῖς προειρημένοις πεπαιδευμένους.

9 7 3
16. ᾿Ερύθημα ὃ εἴ ποτε ἐπανατέλλει καὶ ὠχρία-
σις ἃ ἐπὶ ψιλῆς τῆς δορᾶς καὶ τριχῶν γυμνῆς,
> \

3
(θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν»5: τάρανδος δὲ τὸ ζῷον, ἀλλὰ

οὗτός γε θριξὶν αὐταῖς τρέπει. ἑαυτόν, καὶ πολύ-
χροιαν ἐργάζεται μυρίαν, ὡς ἐκπλήττειν τὴν ὄψιν.
ἔστι δὲ Σκύθης, καὶ τὰ TvOTat® παραπλήσιος
ταύρῳ καὶ τὸ μέγεθος. τούτου τοι καὶ τὴν δορὰν
ἀγαθὴν ἀντίπαλον αἰχμῇ ταῖς αὑτῶν ἀσπίσι
περιτείναντες νοοῦσιν ? οἱ Σικύθαι. Ν

17. Πελάγιος ἰχθὺς τὴν λῆξιν, τὴν ὄψιν μέλας,

τὸ μῆκος κατὰ μεμετρημένην ἔγχελυν, λαβὼν 19
ἐξ ὧν ὁρᾷ τὸ ὄνομα, θεούσῃ νηὶ καὶ μάλα γε ἐξ
οὐρίας 11 προσφθαρεὶς καὶ τῆς πρύμνης τὸ ἄκρον
ἐνδακών, ἢ ὥσπερ οὖν ἵππον στομίῳ ἀπειθῆ καὶ
τραχὺν χαλινῷ, σκληρῷ βιαιότατα ἀνακρούσας,
ἀναστέλλει τῆς ὁρμῆς καὶ πεδήσας ἔχει: καὶ
μάτην μὲν τὰ ἱστία μέσα πέπρησται, ἐς οὐδὲν δὲ

“a ¢ Ψ LA 3 7 Ξ
υσῶσιν οἱ ἄνεμοι, ἄχος δ᾽ ἔχει τοὺς πλέοντας.

συνιᾶσι δὲ οἱ ναῦ L τῆς νεὼ ἱ ;
ναῦται, καὶ τῆς νεὼς γνωρίζουσι τὸ

1 Reiske: γένοιντο.
2 πάντες.
8 3 θ 4
᾿ς ἐρυθήματα. ,
ὠγχρίασι ; t ἀνθρώ ῦ
a Χρίασ iS καὶ γενέσθαι πελιδνὸν καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ ταῦτα καὶ
ἡρίοις ἀλλά.

ὼ (θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν» add. Ces. :

δ᾽ νῶτα corrupt.

7 γνροῦσι καί.

114

Ε΄

Οὐ ΝΜ μον μεν ὸιουοςςςο ἔσο. I ane

So castnsboidy dcaptndasnaninrrens bi

EAI ERYS nb LAA we ANS EP EL EE SEALER PEAS SEA LIEBER EAS ASAE

ON ANIMALS, II. 15-17

mass as at a signal and are off and away. There-
upon those in control of the vessel know that they
must look around for land, not because they judge
by beacons but because they have been instructed
py the aforesaid fish.

16. If at any time a flush or a pallor appears on ἃ The
man’s bare and hairless skin it causes no astonish- Terandus

ment. But the animal known as Tarandus (elk?)
transforms itself hair and all, and can adopt such an
infinite variety of colours as to bewilder the eye.
It is a native of Scythia and in its [hide Ὁ] 5 and its size
resembles a bull; and the Scythians cover their
shields with its hide and consider it a good counter

to a spear.

17. There is a fish whose province is the open sea,
black in appearance, as long as an eel of moderate size,
and deriving its name from what it does : with evil pur-
pose it meets a vessel running at full speed before
the wind, and fastening its teeth into the front of
the prow, like a man vigorously curbing with bit and
tightened rein an intractable and savage horse, it
checks the vessel’s onrush and holds it fast. In vain
do the sails belly in the middle, to no purpose do the
winds blow, and depression comes upon the pas-
sengers. But the sailors understand and realise what
ails the ship; and it is from this action that the fish

a Perhaps ‘ coats,’ 7.e. summer and winter coats of hair.

cc Cr ee .

8 Reiske: νῆξιω. 9 κατὰ τήν. 10 λαχών.
11 οὐρίας καὶ τῶν ἱστίων κεκολπωμένων.

12 δακών.

ἜΤΣΙ ΤΟΣ ΠΣ ΤΣ ἐκ EEN a

PEERS

Bor a ee eee

Seine ears andor ane vb NAVE DPD eA ED ELAM EMALIMSDEL TEMPUS RAPES EA SHEE

ΜΎΣΟΣ ΝΣ ΔΎΩ ΩΝ PELE EE ES PISLERS V EEK OLE CED AUDIENCE EGIL EES

AELIAN

‘6 ae) 56 > 7 ea 3 EN

πάθος. καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκτήσατο τὸ ὄνομα: ἐχενηΐδα
~ ξ

γὰρ καλοῦσιν οἱ πεπειραμένοι. | :

18. ᾽Αναβαψει μὲν ἡ τέχνη Kal ἐς τριγονέαν
διδασκαλίας παρ᾽ ἱΟμήρῳ ty περὶ τῶν τετρωμένων
τε καὶ φαρμάκου δεομένων. παιδεύεται μὲν γὰρ
ὁ Μενοιτίου Ἰ]άτροκλος ὑπ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως ἰατρικήν,
Αχιλλεὺς δὲ ὃ Πηλέως ὑπὸ Χείρωνος τοῦ Κρόνου.
καὶ ἐν ἡρωσί τε καὶ θεῶν παισὶν ἦν τὰ μαθήματα *
φύσιν εἰδέναι ῥιζῶν καὶ πόας διαφόρου χρῆσιν καὶ
φαρμάκων κρᾶσιν καὶ ἐπαοιδὰς ἔς τε φλεγμονὴν
ἀντιπάλους, καὶ ἀναστεῖλαι αἷμα, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα
ἐκεῖνοί ye? ἤδεσαν: καὶ μέντοι καὶ οἱ τοῦ χρόνου
κάτω ἃ ἀνίχνευσάν τινα ἀλλὰ τούτων γε τῶν
σοφισμάτων ἡ φύσις οὐδὲν ἐδεῖτο: καὶ κατηγορεῖ
ὁ ἐλέφας. ὅταν γοῦν ἐς αὐτὸν ἔλθῃ δόρατα καὶ
βέλη πολλά, ἐλαίας πασάμενος ὃ ἄνθος ἢ ἔλαιον

> ‘4 > “ \ 3 4
αὐτό, εἶτα πᾶν τὸ ἐμπεσὸν ἀπεσείσατο, καὶ ἔστιν

αὖθις ὁλόκληρος.

A 7 \ “~ “~ “-
19. Kai τόδε τὸ θαῦμα τοῦδε τοῦ ζῴου ἴδιον
τεκεῖν β ἐφ Ἵ to wf Oi ef 2 :
v βρέφος οὐκ οἶδεν ἄρκτος, οὐδὲ ὁμολογήσει
39 Ν ‘
τις ἐξ ὠδίνων ἰδὼν τὸ ἔκγονον ζῳογόνον εἶναι
4 ξ A > 4 “A ᾿
αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ ἡ μὲν ἐλοχεύθη, τὸ δὲ εἰκῇ κρέας καὶ
> +
ἄσημόν τε καὶ ἀτύπωτον Kal ἄμορφον. ἡ δὲ ἤδη
“a \ / 4 ,
φιλεῖ καὶ γνωρίζει {τὸ 7 τέκνον, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῖς
1 παρὰ τῷ Ὅ.
3 Ax ¢ “a
μαθήματα ὁποῖα.
3 Jac: τε.
Jac: κάτω καὶ ἐν ἥρωσΐ re Kat θεῶν τῷ.
τι. :
πάσσων, v.l. πάσας.

{τόδ add. H.

saa vo of

116

ΡΠ ΠΝ ΟΜΝ,

tues tin Pr ci ea

Ae eR AAC tS SNAIEEAS ΒΡ. ἊΣ
Ἂν να aS εβνφοαλευνονρφρη EAT EAI BIOM ρα ue Bch SLE EINE ESCA νου LWEE SSE pe OE MEA EAE ‘ J soca

ON ANIMALS, II. 17-19

has acquired its name, for those who have had
experience call it the Ship-holder.*

18. In Homer skill in treating the wounded and Medicine in
- ὍΝ the Heroic
persons in need of medicine goes back as far as the Age
third generation of pupil and master. Thus Patro-
clus, son of Menoetius, is taught the healing art by
Achilles,’ and Achilles, son of Peleus, is taught by
Cheiron, son of Cronus. And heroes and children of
the gods learnt about the nature of roots, the use of
different herbs, the concocting of drugs, spells to
reduce inflammations, the way to staunch blood, and
everything else that they knew. And moreover
there are discoveries which men of a later age have
made. But that Nature really has no need of these
ingenuities is proved by the case of the Elephant ; The
for instance, when it is assailed with spears and a Weber
shower of arrows, it eats the flower of the olive °

or the actual oil, and then shakes off every missile

that has pierced it and is sound and whole again.’

19. [And here is another strange feature peculiar The Bear
to this animal.]¢ The Bear is unable to produce a RUE one
cub, nor would anyone allow, on seeing its offspring
immediately after birth, that it had borne a living
thing. Yet the Bear has been in labour, though the
lump of nondescript flesh has no distinguishing mark,

‘no form, and no shape. But the mother loves it and
recognises it as her child, keeps it warm beneath her

2 This is the Sucking-fish or Remora; see Thompson, Gk.
fishes, p. 70.

ὃ Hom. Jf. 11. 831.

¢ ‘Unde Ael. florem oleae duxerit, nescio’ (Schneider).

4 If these words belong here, the order of the chapters has
been confused: ch. 19 should follow one on Bears.

117

AELIAN

a , \ t a ae
μηροῖς θάλπει, καὶ λεαΐνει TH γλώττῃ, καὶ ἐκτυποῖ
ἐς a θ i ὔ A ἥ \ “ Ἁ 3 “a

pUpa, καὶ μέντοι καὶ κατὰ μικρὰ ἐκμορφοΐ,

4 ᾿ὃ \ 3 “n ~ 2 7)
καὶ ἰδὼν ἐρεῖς τοῦτο ἄρκτου σκυλάκιον.

7 ᾿ > |
, 20. Kepara ἀκλινῆ καὶ ὀρθὰ ἕστηκε ταύροις.
\ \ ~
ἅπασι, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἐς ὅπλον 6 ἄνθρωπος,

4 \ 3 4 ¢ ~
οὕτω ToL καὶ ἐς κέρας ὁ ταῦρος τεθύμωται. βόες
δὲ ᾿Ερυθραῖοι κινοῦσι τὰ 1 κέρατα ὡς ὦτα.

_ ai. Γῆ μὲν Αἰθιοπίς (γείτων δὲ καὶ μάλα
ἀγαθὸς καὶ ᾿ἀξιόζηλος τὸ τῶν θεῶν λουτρόν, ὃ
Ὅμηρος ἡμῖν Orceavov ᾷδει) οὐκοῦν ἥδε ἡ γῆ
δρακόντων “μήτηρ ἐστὶ μεγέθει μεγίστων: καὶ
γάρ τοι καὶ ἐς τριάκοντα ὀργυιὰς προήκουσι, καὶ
TO ὄνομα μὲν τὸ ἀπὸ γενεᾶς οὐ καλοῦνται, φονέας
δὲ ἐλεφάντων φασὶν αὐτούς, καὶ ἁμιλλῶνται πρὸς
γῆρας τὸ μήκιστον οἵδε οἱ δράκοντες. καὶ λόγοι
μὲν Αἰθίοπες ἐνταῦθά μοι ἵστανται. λέγουσι δὲ
Φρύγιοι λόγοι καὶ ἐν Φρυγίᾳ γίνεσθαι 5 δράκοντας,
καὶ προήκειν αὐτοὺς ἐς δέκα ὀργυιάς, καὶ μεσοῦν-
TOS θέρους ὁσημέραι μετὰ πλήθουσαν ἀγορὰν
ἐξέρπειν τῶν φωλεῶν. καὶ παρὰ τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ
καλουμένῳ Ῥυνδάκῳ τὸ μέν τι τῆς σπείρας
ἁπήρεισαν ἐς τὴν γῆν, τὸ λοιπὸν δὲ σῶμα ἀνα-
στήσαντες πᾶν, ἀτρέμα καὶ ἡσυχῆ τὴν φάρυγγα
ἀνατείναντες καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὸ στόμα ἀνοίξαντες,
εἶτα τὰ πτηνὰ ἕλκουσιν οἱονεὶ ἴυγγι τῷ ἄσθματι.
τὰ δὲ ἐς τὰς ἐκείνων ἐσπίπτει γαστέρας ὑπὸ τῆς
παρ αὐτῶν ἐκπνοῆς συρόμενα αὐτοῖς πτεροῖς.

1 . f
Jac: Kai. 2 Schn: γένεσθαι.

* On the coast of Ionia opposite Chios.

118

ΡΝ ALENT BENE AA Το,

Aad Pe Ae aS ae ty δὲ Ὧν :
ea ashe AG DA SLE LD ΛΝ ETAL AALS ASD NE ROTIA Sy bites

ON ANIMALS, II. 19-27

thighs, smooths it with her tongue, fashions it into
limbs, and little by little brings it into shape; and
when you see it you would say that this is a Bear's
cub.

20. All Bulls have inflexible and rigid horns, and
this is why, just as a man puts passion into his
weapons, so a bull puts passion into its horns. But
the oxen of Erythrae * can move their horns as they
do their ears. —

91. The land of Ethiopia (the place where the gods
bathe, celebrated by Homer under the name of

- Ocean,® is an excellent and desirable neighbour),

this land, I say, is the mother of the very largest
Serpents. For, you must know, they attain to a
length of one hundred and eighty feet, and they are
not called by the name of any species, but people say
that they kill elephants, and these Serpents rival

the longest-lived animals. Thus far the accounts

from Ethiopia. But according to -accounts from
Phrygia there are Serpents in Phrygia too, and these
grow to a length of sixty feet, and every day in mid-
summer some time after noon they creep out of their
lairs. And on the banks of the river Rhyndacus ὃ
while supporting part of their coils on the ground,
they raise all the rest of their body and, steadily and
silently extending their neck, open their mouth and
attract birds by their breath, as it were by a spell.
And the birds descend, feathers and all, into their
stomach, drawn in by the Serpents’ breathing. And

> Hom. II. 1. 428.
¢ The Rhyndacus rises in mt Olympus in Mysia and flows
N into the Propontis. pe

110

The Oxen
of Erythrae

The Snakes
of Ethiopia
and Phrygia

AELIAN

A lanl \ δὴ > ὔ “-“ ᾿
καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἴδια ἐκείνοις δρᾶται ἐς ἡλίου ἡ

’ 2 > e Ἁ ς
δυσμάς" εἶτα ἑαυτοὺς οἱ δράκοντες ἀποκρύψαντες 3

3 ων \ ’ “ - -
ἐλλοχῶσι τὰς ποίμνας καὶ ἐκ τῆς νομῆς ἐπὶ τὰ

7 “-
αὔλια ἰούσας αἱροῦσι,32 καὶ πολὺν φόνον * ἐργασά-
‘ & ἱ
μενοι καὶ {τοὺς »ὅ νομέας συνδιέφθειραν πολλάκις,
καὶ ἔχουσι δεῖπνον ἄφθονόν τε καὶ ἀμφιλαφές.

22. Ταῖς ἀφύαις 6 πηλὸς γένεσίς ἐστι 80
ἀλλήλων. δὲ οὐ τίκτουσιν οὐδὲ ἐπιγίνονται, πηλὸς
δὲ ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ καὶ πάνυ ἰλυώδης ὅταν συστῇ
καὶ γένηται μέλας, ἀλεαίνεταί τεῦ φύσει τινὶ

3 7 \ ? 4
ἀπορρήτῳ τε Kat ζῳογόνῳ καὶ μεταβάλλεται καὶ.

ἐς ζῷα τρέπεται πάμπολλα. καὶ αἵ γε ἀφύαι
ταῦτά ἐστι, σκωλήκων δίκην ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ καὶ
τοῖς μυσαροῖς τικτομένων ἐκείνων. γενόμεναι δὲ
αἱ ἀφύαι νηκτικώτατον χρῆμά εἰσι, καὶ δρῶσιν
ὃ πεφύκασιν, εἶτα ἄγονταί τινι αἰτίᾳ θαυμαστῇ ἐς
τὰ σωτήρια, ἔνθα ἕξουσι σκέπην καὶ πρόβλημα,
H μέλλει βιώσιμα αὐταῖς ἔσεσθαι. εἴη δ᾽ ἂν ἡ
καταφυγὴ ἢ πέτρα - ἀνεστῶσα ἐπὶ μέγα καὶ
ὑψηλὸν ἢ οἱ καλούμενοι KpiBavor'® elev δ᾽ ἂν

Ω 9 5 ὔ 7 “A
αὗται 5 κολπώδεις πέτραι βρωθεῖσαί © τε ὑπὸ τῶν.

: f ~ ‘4 4 “~
κυμάτων τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ κοῖλαι γεγενημέναι.
“Ῥ 3 “ ς 4 :
ταῦτα δὲ ἄρα αὐταῖς ἡ φύσις ἔδειξε κρησφύγετα,
~ 7 \ ,ὔ ;

wore ὑπὸ τοῦ σάλου μὴ παίεσθαι μηδὲ ἀφανίζεσθαι
ἄσθ “a ᾽ὔ > \ id \ Ἁ 3 ’

ἀσθενεῖς γάρ εἰσι καὶ ἥκιστα πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων

7 3 ,ὔ A
ἐμπτώσεις ἀντίτυποι. τροφῆς δὲ δέονται οὐδὲ
: Ἁ 3 7
εν, ἀπόχρη γε μὴν ἀλλήλας περιλιχμήσασθαι.
if \ 3

? 7

3 A 3 ~
ἄγρα δὲ αὐτῶν νήματα ἄγαν λεπτὰ καὶ ἐρραφέντα

1 ἰδίᾳ 2 ὁ j
: ἰδίᾳ. ὑποκρύψαντες.
. Wytt: αἴρουσιν. 4 φθόρον.
<rovs> add. Η. 8 τε ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς ἑαυτοῦ.

120

NAPA OEE TANASE CEDIA RAE ADA EONA apt FESPA Eb se MEA A SINEMA Da eet

ον OO ames 8

nd Rhine et PIE

ΠΣ

ἜΣ

TYEE SPINE AAI Nc DESI

ON ANIMALS, II. 21-22

these singular practices they continue until sun-
down; next, the Serpents hide and lie in wait for
the flocks, and as they return to the sheepfolds from
the pasture they fall upon them, and after a terrible
slaughter they have frequently killed the herdsmen
as well, thus obtaining a generous and abundant

feast.

92. Sprats are born of mud; they neither beget The Sprat

nor are begotten of one another, but when the mud
in the sea becomes altogether slimy and thick and
turns black, it is warmed by some inexplicable and
life-giving principle, undergoes a transformation, and
is changed into innumerable living creatures. The
Sprats are these creatures, resembling worms which
are generated in mire and filth. And as soon as born,
Sprats are excellent swimmers, and they do it natur-
ally. Then by some mysterious agency they are led
to safe places where they will find shelter and pro-
tection, so that it will be possible for them to live.
And their place of refuge is likely to be either some
rock that rises to a great height or what are called
‘baker’s pots’; these would be rocks full of em-
brasures which the waves have in time eaten away
until they have become hollow. These then are the
retreats to which Nature has pointed them so that
they shall not be battered and demolished by the
swell of the sea; for they have little strength and
are powerless to resist the impact of the waves.
They need no food, indeed it is enough for them to
lick one another. The way to catch them is to use
exceedingly fine thread with thin pieces from the

7 > Ξ Η ξ 4 ~ ¢ φ
ἐστι. κρίβανοι ὑπὸ τῶν ἁλιέων.
9. ἂν αἱ. 10 Reiske: βρίθουσαι.
: 121

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, II. 22-24

warp of garments laced in. This device should be
quite sufficient for catching and securing them,
though for the capture of other fish it would be
utterly inadequate.

4 ~ e
τούτοις ἀραιὰ στημόνια TOV ἱματίων.1 Kal τέχνημα
“ - “
μὲν εἴη ἂν ® τοῦτο καὶ μάλα ye ἀρκοῦν 8 és αἵρεσίν
A ἅλ ᾽ ~ 3 ὃ \ ἄλλ > θ 7 7
τε καὶ ἅλωσιν αὐτῶν, ἐς δὲ ἄλλων ἰχθύων θήραν
ἥκιστα. |

23. Should you strike a Lizard with a stick and The ri
either on purpose or by accident cut it In two,
neither of the two parts is killed, but each moves

~ 3 /
23. Tov σαῦρον εἰ παΐσας ὁ εἴτε ἑκὼν εἴτε καὶ
3 , ¢? ὃ ; ὃ La 50 ? 5
: κατὰ τύχην ῥάβδῳ μέσον διατέμοις, οὐδέτερον

αὐτῷ , τῶν μέρ ὧν ἀποτέθνηκεν, ἀλλὰ ΧΡ is “καὶ separately and by itself, and lives, both the one and
καθ΄ €avTo πρόεισί τε Kat CH δύο ποσὶν ἐπισυρόμε- the other trailing on two feet. Then when the .
νον τὸ ἡμίτομον ὃ καὶ ἐκεῖνο καὶ τοῦτο. εἶτα parts meet—for the forepart frequently unites with
ὅταν συνέλθῃ (σύνεισι yap πρὸς τὸ λεῖπον. τὸ the hinder—the two join up and coalesce after their
ἕτερον πολλάκις), συνδυασθέντε συνηλθέτην ἐκ separation. And the Lizard, now one body, al-
τῆς διαιρέσεως" καὶ ἑνωθεὶς ὃ σαῦρος, τοῦ μὲν though a scar gives evidence of what it has suffered,
πάθους τὸ ἴχνος αὐτῷ κατηγορεῖ ἡ οὐλή, περιθέων yet runs about and maintains its former method of
δὲ Kal τὴν ἀρχαίαν βιοτὴν ἔχων ἔοικε τῶν προει- life exactly like one of its kind that has had no such
ρημένων μὴ πεπειραμένῳ. experience.

24. The poison of serpents is a thing to be dreaded, thes
but that of the Asp is far worse. Nor are remedies
and antidotes easy to discover, however ingenious
one may be at beguiling and dispelling acute pains.
Yet after all there is in man also a certain mysterious
poison, and this is how it has been discovered. If
you capture a Viper and grasp its neck very firmly
and with a strong hand, and then open its mouth and
spit into it, the spittle slides down into its belly and ΤΣ
has so disastrous an effect upon it as to cause the
Viper to rot away. From this you see how foul can

24. ᾿Ιὸς μὲν 6 τῶν ἑρπετῶν δεινός ἐστι, καὶ ὅ
γε τῆς ἀσπίδος ἔτι μᾶλλον. καὶ τούτου a ἀντίπαλα
καὶ ἀμυντήρια ῥᾳδίως οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τις, εἰ καὶ
σοφώτατος εἴη κηλεῖν τε ὀδύνας καὶ ἀφανίζειν.

Ἢν δὲ ἄρα καὶ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τις ἰὸς ἀπόρρητος,.
καὶ πεφώραται τὸν τρόπον ἐκεῖνον. ἔχιν εἰ λά-

Bots, καὶ πάνυ εὐλαβῶς τε καὶ ἐγκρατῶς τοῦ
τραχήλου κατάσχοις, καὶ διαστήσας τὸ στόμα
εἶτα αὐτῷ ὃ προσπτύσειας, ἐς τὴν νηδὺν κατολι-
σθάνει τὸ πτύαλον, καὶ γίνεταί ot τοσοῦτον κακὸν
ὡς σήπειν τὸν ἔχιν. ἔνθεν ὃ τοι καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ

Ὑὐλλααρευζεονδοστ “BASRA ESE LY SLES DBI SSIEIY ERI δον HEE OT EAE ALEES

Ὁ eae LCRA ae Sts

ΤΡ YASS LAT ELEM LEER

122

ξ ΡΞ ΝΑ πε _
~ 3 4 παίσας κατὰ τοῦ βρέγματος most MSS, π. κατὰ τὸ μέσον Υ.
* Gow: ἀραιῶν στημονίων τὰ ἱμάτια MSS, ἐρεῶν Bernhardy, : 5 οὐθέτερον.
; : ἢ ΡΞ 7
τιλμάτια Haupt. } 6 ἡμίτομον τῶν ζῴων.
2 4 : Φ 2s 4
ταῦταις. ¢ ἔπι τούτων.
3 2 ἣν ? bi 82> aA 9 ὅθεν
ἀρκοῦν μηχάνημα. : ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ. '

123

AELIAN

δῆγμα ἀνθρώπου μιαρόν ἐστι καὶ κινδυνῶδες
οὐδενὸς θηρίου μεῖον.

25. Ἔν «ὥρᾳ θερείῳ,. ἀμητοῦ κατειληφότος καὶ
τῶν σταχύων τριβομένων ἐν τῷ δίνῳ, κατὰ ἴλας
συνίασιν ot μύρμηκες, καθ᾽ ἕνα ἰόντες καὶ κατὰ
δύο δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐς τὸν τρίτον στοῖχον 2 ἔρχονται,
τοὺς ἑαυτῶν οἴκους καὶ τὰς συνήθεις στέγας ἀπο-
λείποντες: εἶτα ἐκλέγουσι τῶν πυρῶν καὶ τῶν
κριθῶν, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν χωροῦσιν ἀτραπόν. καὶ
οὐ μὲν ἀπίασιν ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν προειρημένων συλ-
λογήν, οἱ δὲ κομίζουσι τὸν φόρτον, καὶ πάνυ
αἰδεσίμως καὶ πεφεισμένως ἀλλήλοις ὑπαφίσταν-
ται 5 τῆς ὁδοῦ, καὶ μᾶλλον τοῖς ἀχθοφόροις οἱ
κοῦφοι: κατελθόντες δὲ ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα τὰ σφέτερα 4

Α ’ὔ \ > - “

καὶ πληρώσαντες τοὺς ἐν τῷ μυχῷ σφίσι σιρούς,5
7 f ;

εκάστου σπέρματος διατρήσαντες τὸ μέσον, TO

μὲν ἐκπεσὸν δεῖπνον γίνεται τῷ μύρμηκι ἐν τῷ
τέως, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἄγονόν ἐστι. παλαμῶνται δὲ
ἄρα οἱ γενναῖοι οἰκονόμοι καὶ φρουροὶ τοῦτο, ἵνα
μὴ τῶν ὄμβρων περιρρευσάντων, εἶτα ἔκφυσιν
ὁλόκληρα ἐκεῖνα ὄντα λάβῃ τινὰ καὶ ἀναθήλῃ, καὶ
τούτων γενομένων ἀτροφίᾳ καὶ λιμῷ διὰ χειμῶνος
περυπέσωσι, καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐξαμβλώσῃ ἡ σπουδή.
φύσεως μὲν δὴ καὶ μύρμηκες λαβεῖν δῶρα εὐτύχη-

\ ~
σαν Kat ταῦτα ὡς ἄλλα.

0. 2 3 A “
26. Οὐδέποτε ἀετὸς οὔτε πηγῆς δεῖται οὔτε.

i f : ?
γλίχεται κονίστρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίψους ἀμείνων
͵ὔ ᾽ὔὔ
ἐστί, καὶ καμάτου φάρμακον οὐκ ἀναμένει πορι-

,ὔ 4 ‘
1 βερείῳ περὶ τὰς ἅλως. 5 τὸ. - στοιχεῖον.
124

Ε;
gt
‘
i
;
:
i
|
x
|
Π
2

MOLESTERS eed

VERY RETITLED ISEDATEIN OSS = *

ΤΟ ΤΣ ΣΡ LS SORT Ig

ἜΤΣΙ ΟΣ RENT IT ELIE IAL MLAS IY EI RONES PLUGS TERE PPLE ROSELLE aie. WOR ees

ON ANIMALS, II. 24-26

be the bite of one man to another and as dangerous
as the bite of any beast. :

95. In the summertime when the harvest is im The Ant

and the corn is being threshed on the threshing-floor,
Ants assemble in companies, going in single file or
two abreast—indeed they sometimes go three
abreast—after quitting their homes and customary
shelters. Then they pick out some of the barley
and the wheat and all follow the same track. And
some go to collect the grain, others carry the load,
and they get out of each other’s way with the utmost
deference and consideration, especially those that
are not laden for the benefit of those that are.
Then they return to their dwellings and fill the pits in
their store-chamber after boring through the middle
of each grain. What falls out becomes the Ant’s
meal at the time; what is left is infertile. This is a
device on the part of these excellent and thrifty
housekeepers to prevent the intact grain from put-
ting out shoots and sprouting afresh when the rains
have surrounded them, and to preserve themselves
in that case from falling victims during the winter
to want of food and to famine, and their zeal from
being blunted. ‘It is to Nature then that Ants
too owe these and other fortunate gifts.

26. At no time does the Eagle need water or long The Eagle

for a dusting-place; he is on the contrary superior to
thirst and looks for no medicine for weariness from

8 ἀφίστανται H.
4 σφέτερα of γενναῖοι.
5. Jac: σιροὺς πυρῶν τε καὶ κριθῶν.

125

ῸΑΒΙΑΝ π᾿: τς

σθὲν -ἔξωθεν, ὑπερφρονῶν δὲ καὶ -τῶν ὑδάτων καὶ
7 4

τῆς ἀναπαύσεως τὸν αἰθέριον τέμνει πόλον, Kal
ὀξύτατα ὁρᾷ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ αἰθέρος καὶ ὑψηλοῦ.
καὶ τόν γε τῶν πτερῶν αὐτοῦ ῥοῖζον καὶ τὸ τῶν
θηρίων ἀτρεπτότατον ὁ δράκων ἀκούσας μόνον
παραχρῆμα 5. κατέδυ. καὶ ἀσμένως ἠφανίσθη.
βάσανος δέ οὗ τῶν νεοττῶν τῶν γνησίων ἐκείνη
ἐστίν. ἀντίους τῇ αὐγῇ τοῦ ἡλίου ἵστησιν αὐτοὺς
ὑγροὺς * ἔτι καὶ ἀπτῆνας" καὶ ἐὰν μὲν σκαρδαμύξῃ
τις τὴν ἀκμὴν τῆς ἀκτῖνος δυσωπούμενος, ἐξεώσθη
τῆς καλιᾶς, καὶ ἀπεκρίθη τῆσδε τῆς ἑστίας: ἐὰν
δὲ ἀντιβλέψῃ καὶ μάλα ἀτρέπτως, ἀμείνων ἐστὶν
ὑπονοίας καὶ τοῖς γνησίοις ἐγγέγραπται, ἐπεὶ
αὐτῷ πῦρ τὸ οὐράνιον ἡ τοῦ γένους ἀδέκαστός τε
καὶ ἄπρατος * ἀληθῶς ἐστιν ἐγγραφή. |

27. Ἣ στρουθὸς ἡ μεγάλη λασίοις. μὲν τοῖς
πτεροῖς ἐπτέρωται, ἀρθῆναι δὲ καὶ ἐς βαθὺν ἀέρα
μετεωρισθῆναι φύσιν οὐκ ἔχει. θεῖ δὲ ὥκιστα,
καὶ τὰς παρὰ τὴν πλευρὰν ἑκατέραν πτέρυγας.
ἁπλοῖ, καὶ ἐμπῖπτον τὸ πνεῦμα κολποῖ δίκην
ἱστίων αὐτάς. ὃ ᾿ | |

ν᾿ > ἡ ; “A >
28. Τὴν ὠτίδα <7d>® Cov ὀρνίθων εἶναι didur-
, 2 2 “ ᾿
πότατον ἀκούω. καὶ. TO? μαρτύριον, τῶν μὲν
MM 2 ? “AD ~ σι : vo
ἄλλων ζῴων καὶ ἐν λειμῶσι καὶ ἐν αὐλῶσι νεμομέ-
. . ~ 2 ane \ @ . 7 2 iid ν
νων καταφρονεῖ: ἵππον δὲ ὅταν θεάσηται, ἥδιστα
, 7 ᾿ “-- Ἤν ΠΣ
προσπέτεται Kal πλησιάζει κατὰ τοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώ-
ξ
πων ἱππεραστάς. - ἘΝ

τὸν ἀέρα τέμνει πολύν. , 3. καὶ παραχρῆμα.
Jac: ἀργούς. .. 4 Pauw: ἄγραπτος.
126.

εὐ GUNES ROLLED EELS DOERR EERIE RS AUER GST HLTH υὐρρ πῇ dais ca dssse UNS x ikea ΕΣ

ON ANIMALS, II. 26-28

any outside source, but scorning water ‘and repose he
cleaves the atmosphere and gazes with piercing eye
from the vast expanse of heaven on high. And at
the mere sound of those rushing wings even that
most intrepid of all creatures, the great serpent, dives
at once into its den and is glad to disappear. And
this is the way in which the Eagle tests the legitimacy
of his young ones. He plants them, while they are
still tender and unfledged, facing the rays of the sun,
and if one of them blinks, unable to endure the
brightness of the rays, it is thrust out of the nest and
banished from that hearth. If however it can face
the sun quite unmoved, it is above suspicion ‘and is
enrolled among the legitimate offspring, since the
celestial fire is an impartial and uncorrupt register of
its origin. Ὁ. ia |

27. The Ostrich is covered with thick feathers, but The Ostrich
its nature does not permit it to rise from the ground |
and mount aloft into the sky. Yet its speed is very
great, and when it spreads its wings on either side,
the wind meeting them causes them to belly like
sails. | : 3 7

28, Among birds the Bustard is, I am told, the The Bustard

- most fond of horses. And the proof of this is that it

scorns all other animals that live in field or glen, but
that when it catches sight of a horse, it delights to.
fly up to it and to keep it company, just like men
who are devoted to horses. -

5 αὐτάς, πτῆσιν δὲ οὐκ older.
. 6. (τὸς add. Η.

7 τούτου.

127

AELIAN

“~ ~ . 3 ‘ :

29. Μυῖα ἐμπεσοῦσα ἐς ὕδωρ, εἰ καὶ ζῴων
3 4 θ f LAAG ~ vw > > 4 2 a
ἐστὶ θρασυτάτη, ἀλλὰ γοῦν οὔτ᾽ ἐπιτρέχει,5 οὔτε
νηκτική ἐστι, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἀποπνίγεται. εἰ δὲ
αὐτῆς ἐξέλοις τὸν νεκρόν, καὶ τέφραν ἐμπάσειας

, “-- 3

καὶ καταθείης ὃ ἐν ἡλίου αὐγῇ, ἀναβιώσῃ τὴν
μυῖαν.

30. ᾿Αλεκτρυόνα εἴτε πριάμενος εἴτε δῶρον
λαβὼν ἐς τὴν ἀγέλην τὴν σεαυτοῦ καὶ τοὺς
” 1 5 θ ζῶ 29 λ 3 Dict © οὐκ ἃ 7
ὄρνιθας τοὺς ἠθάδας ἐθέλοις ἀριθμεῖν,Σ οὐκ ἀπολύ-
σεις οὐδὲ ἀφήσεις εἰκῆ καὶ ws ἔτυχεν αὐτόν" "εἰ

> f
δὲ μή, φυγὰς παραχρῆμα οἰχήσεται ἐς τοὺς
7
οἰκείους καὶ τοὺς συννόμους, εἰ καὶ πάνυ πόρ-
ρωθεν εἴη οὗτος. δεῖ δὲ ἄρα αὐτῷ φρουρὰν
- A A 5 »" ¢€ 4 , ¢ ’
περιβαλεῖν καὶ δεσμὰ ἀφανῆ ὑπὲρ τὰ ᾿Ηφαίστου
τὰ ὋὉμήρεια. καὶ o γε λέγω τοιοῦτόν ἐστι.

7 > 45 e 3 , > , ; \ \
τράπεζαν ἐφ᾽ ἧς ἐσθίεις ἐς μέσον καταθεὶς καὶ
τὸν ὄρνιθα λαβὼν καὶ τρὶς αὐτὸν τὴν προειρη-

Α ~
μένην σκηνὴν περιαγαγών, μέθες τὸ ἐντεῦθεν
“ ξ᾿» “᾿ “4 “
ἄφετον ἀλᾶσθαι σὺν τοῖς ὄρνισι τοῖς οἰκέταις" ὁ
δὲ οὐκ ἀπαλλάττεται, ὥσπερ οὖν πεπεδημένος..

31. Ἢ σαλαμάνδρα τὸ ζῷον οὐκ ἔστι μὲν τῶν
πυρὸς ἐκγόνων, ὥσπερ οὖν οἱ καλούμενοι πυρί-
γονοι, θαρρεῖ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ χωρεῖ τῇ φλογὶ ὁμόσε,
καὶ ὡς ἀντίπαλόν τινα σπεύδει καταγωνίσασθαι.
καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον, περὶ Ἷ τοὺς βαναύσους καλιν-
δεῖται καὶ τοὺς χειρώνακτας τοὺς ἐμπύρους. ἐς
ὅσον μὲν οὖν ἐνακμάζει τὸ πῦρ αὐτοῖς, καὶ συνερ-

Ὁ

8. ὥυγχέ
ἀντέχει.

4 > »- ῖν
ἀριθμεῖν καὶ ἔχειν.

1 + é 4 4 >
εἰ Kal] καὶ yap εἰ.
8. καταθήσεις.

128

|
᾿-
i
i
i

ON ANIMALS, 11. 29-32

99. When a Fly falls into the water, though it is Ths Fly
of all creatures the most daring, yet it can neither
yun upon the surface nor swim, and hence it drowns.
If however you pick out the dead body, sprinkle
ashes upon it, and place it in the sunshine, you will
bring the Fly to life again.

30. If you want to add a Cockerel, whether bought The
. Oockerel

or presented, to your flock of domestic fowls, you

must not release him nor let him loose at random

and in a casual way; otherwise he will immediately

desert and go back to his own kin and mates, how-

ever far away from them he be. So you must set

upon him a guard and fetters more invisible than

those of Hephaestus in Homer [Od. 8. 274-]. What

I prescribe is this. Place the table at which you eat,
in the open, seize the Cockerel, and when you have
taken him three times round the aforesaid platform,
then let him go free to wander with the fowls of the
house. He will not go away any more than if he were
chained up.

31. The Salamander is not indeed one of those Ld ad
fire-born creatures like the so-called ‘ Fire-flies,’ ¢
yet it is as bold as they and encounters the flame and

is eager to fight it like an enemy. And the proof of

this is as follows. Its haunts are among artisans and
craftsmen who work at the forge. Now so long as
their fire is at full blast and they have it to help

@ See ch. 2.

5 ἐκγόνων οὐδὲ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τίκτεται.
6. καὶ τούτου τὰ μαρτύρια.
? παρά.
129
VOL. I. F

γόνα δι
ἐρενν σον τὴ

ORGIES NG een Re te aE

πα ὕΠ0 0 0 10 Π0Π0Ὸϑ 0 || ULE GIG TESTO BEA 0 LESS SESH INE SNS HM TELA MIS OIA aU

i
|
1

AELIAN.

ΠΝ. Ἢ ᾿ : ‘ ν΄ " -
γὸν τῇ τέχνῃ ἔχουσιν αὐτὸ καὶ κοινωνὸν τῆς
re) :

: ? ¢€

σοφίας, ὑπὲρ τοῦδε τοῦ ζῴου οὐδὲ Ev φροντίζουσιν"

ὅταν δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀποσβεσθῇ καὶ μαρανθῇ, μάτην δὲ
αἱ φῦσαι καταπνέωσιν, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη τὸ ζῷον τὸ
εἰρημένον ἀντιπρᾶττόν σφισιν ἴσασι καλῶς. ἀνιχ-
νεύσαντες οὖν τὸ θηρίον καὶ τιμωρησάμενοι, τὸ
πῦρ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοῖς ἐξάπτεται, καὶ ἔστιν εὐπειθές,
καὶ οὐ σβέννυται τῇ συνηθείᾳ τρεφόμενον.

82. Kuxvos δέ, ὅνπερ οὖν καὶ θεράποντα ᾿Απόλ-
λωνι ἔδοσαν ποιηταὶ καὶ λόγοι μέτρων ἀφειμένοι
πολλοί, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ὅπως μούσης τε καὶ δῆς
ἔχει εἰπεῖν οὐκ. οἶδα: πεπίστευται δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν
ἄνω τοῦ χρόνου ὅτι τὸ κύκνειον οὕτω καλούμενον

3 > > θνή wn δὲ + εὐ 4. Ἀ. ξ
ᾷσας εἴτα ἀποὔνησκει. τίμᾳ OE ἀρὰ αὕτον Ἢ.

φύσις καὶ τῶν καλῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἀνθρώπων
μᾶλλον, καὶ εἰκότως: εἴ γε τούτους μὲν καὶ
ἐπαινοῦσι καὶ θρηνοῦσιν ἄλλοι, ἐκεῖνοι. δὲ εἴτε
τοῦτο ἐθέλοις εἴτε ἐκεῖνο, ἑαυτοῖς νέμουσιν.

83. Κροκόδιλος μὲν ὅπως ἔχει μεγέθους καὶ ὁ

᾿ Α φ 3 4 ~ 4 7
τέλειος Kal ὃ ἐκγλυφεὶς πρῶτον, καὶ μέντοι καὶ
\

: ¢ \ a
γλώττης ὅπως, καὶ εἰ κινεῖ 3 τὴν γένυν, καὶ

. , -ς ¢ 7 7 4 7 Ἂ
ποτέραν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ προσάγει, πολλοὶ λέγουσι.
7 ᾿ ~ : ~ . .

κατέγνωσαν δὲ dpa τοῦ ζῴου τοῦδέ. τινες ὅτι
/ “-

τίκτει ὃ τοσαῦτα wa ὅσαις ἂν ὁ ἡμέραις ἐπῳάζον ὃ
: Py Oy . ὦν ὁ ἀρ δα» Ὁ δὲ "ἢ. ᾿

εἶτα ἐκγλύψῃ τὰ νεόττια- ἤδη δὲ ἔγωγε ἤκουσα,
ξ 5 “--

6 κροκόδιλος ὅταν ἀποθάνῃ, σκορπίον ἐξ αὐτοῦ
/ , “

τίκτεσθαι, κέντρον δὲ ἄρα οὐραῖον αὐτὸν ἔχειν
“ A

λέγουσιν ἰοῦ πεπληρωμένον.

συνεργὸν αὐτοῖς." 2 εἰ κινεῖ] Reiske : ἐπικινεῖ,"

130

ON ANIMALS, IL. 31-33

‘their craft and to share their skill, they pay not

the smallést attention to this animal. When how-
ever the fire goes out or languishes and the bel-
lows blow in vain, then at once they know full
well that the aforesaid creature is working’ against
them. Accordingly they track it down and. exact
vengeance; and then the fire is lit, is easily coaxed
up, and does not go out, provided it is kept fed with
the usual material. |

32. The Swan is assigned by poets and many prose- The Swan
writers as servant to Apollo, but in what other rela- ee
tion it stands to music and song I do not know. Yet
the ancients believed that when it has sung what is

called its ‘ swan-song,’ it dies. In that case Nature

honours it more highly than it does noble and up-
right men, and rightly so, for while others praise
and lament them, Swans praise or, if you will, lament
themselves. |

33. Many writers tell us about the size of the ΤῊΝ ai
Crocodile both when fully grown and when first “°°”
hatched, and further, about its tongue, and whether

it moves its jaw and which jaw it closes upon the

other. There are those too who have observed that _

this animal lays as many eggs as the days during

_ which it sits upon them before hatching out its young.

And I have myself heard that when a Crocodile dies
a scorpion is born from it; and they do say that it
has a sting in its tail which is full of poison.

3 4

f
ἂν καί.
ἍἌ 3 ᾽
ὃ Jac: ὅπως ἂν ἀποθάνοι.

131

τίκτει μέν.
5 > é cd
ἐπῳάζουσιν ὄρνεις,

AELIAN

34. El σαφῆ ταῦτα καὶ μὴ ἀμφίλογα, ᾿Ινδῶν
᾿ λόγοι πειθέτωσαν: ἃ δὲ νῦν ἐρῶ, τῆς ἐκεῖθεν
φήμης διακομιζούσης, ταῦτά ἐστιν. ὁμώνυμον τῷ
φυτῷ κιννάμωμον ὄρνιν ἔγωγε τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ
Νικομάχου λέγοντος ἤκουσα. καὶ τὸν μὲν ὄρνιν
κομίξειν Σ τὸ φερώνυμον τοῦτο δὴ φυτὸν es
Ἰνδούς, εἰδέναι δὲ ἄρα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὅπου τε ὃ
καὶ ὅπως φύεται οὐδὲ ἕν.

, \
35. Αἰγύπτιοι κλύσματα Kal κάθαρσιν γαστρὸς
: f , -“
οὐκ ἔκ τινος ἐπινοίας ἀνθρωπίνης λέγουσι μαθεῖν,

διδάσκαλον δέ σφισι τοῦ ἰάματος τοῦδε τὴν ἶβιν
ἄδουσιν. καὶ ὅπως ἐξεπαίδευσε τοὺς πρώτους
ἰδόντας, ἐρεὶ ἄλλος: σελήνης δὲ αὔξησιν καὶ
μείωσιν ὅτι οἶδε, καὶ τοῦτο ἤκουσα. καὶ ὅτι τὴν
τροφὴν ἑαυτῇ ὑφαιρεῖ καὶ προστίθησι κατὰ τὴν
τῆς θεοῦ καὶ λῆξιν καὶ πρόσθεσιν, πυθέσθαι ποθὲν
οὐκ εἰμὶ ἔξαρνος.

é é

36. Kévrpov πικρότατον Kat κίνδυνον φέρον
». 4 € " nw fa

ἁπάντων μᾶλλον ἡ τρυγὼν ἡ ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης

dyer. καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον, εἰ μὲν ἐς δένδρον τεθηλὸς

> δέ , 3

καὶ εὖ μάλα ἀναθέον ἐμπήξειας αὐτό, οὔτε ἐς

> > "» > .

ἀναβολὰς οὔτε χρόνῳ ὕστερον ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη αὖον τὸ
-» > ὔ 5» 7

δένδρον" εἰ δέ τι τῶν ζῴων ἀμύξειας, ἀπέκτεινας.

ton 3 ?
37. Ἢ μυγαλῆ * és ὅσον μὲν τὴν ἄλλως πρόεισι,
a ~*~ 37 4
tay ἔχει, καὶ ἐσπείσατο αὐτῇ ἡ φύσις, ἐάν γε μὴ
“a . 5 / 2 A
ἄλλῃ τινὶ τύχῃ καταληφθῇ καὶ ἀπόληται. ἐπὰν
ΟΠ Bernhardy: κομίζειν ἐντεῦθεν.
2 τὸ φυτόν. 8 Reiske: γε.
4 μυγαλὴ καὶ yap τοῦτο ποίημα ὕλης.

132

URGE Sect νος J
ΡΥ tse heat tea SSI REET EET TT ELISEL ED OETEE STEN LEN LDC LOREM EE OR TELS EL MEE LLED

ON ANIMALS, II. 34-37

34. If these facts are certain and beyond dispute,
then let this story from India carry conviction.
What I propose to tell has been brought from thence
by report and is as follows. 1 have learnt from the
son of Nicomachus [Arist. HA 616 a 6] that there is a
bird named Cinnamon like the plant, and that the
bird brings this plant, which is named after it, to the
Indians, but that these people have no knowledge
where and how the plant grows.

35. The Egyptians assert that a knowledge of

clysters and intestinal purges is derived from no dis-

_covery of man’s, but they commonly affirm that it

was the Ibis that taught them this remedy. And
how it instructed those who were the first to see it,
some other shall tell. And I have also heard that it
knows when the moon is waxing and when waning ;
and I cannot deny that I have learnt from some source
that it diminishes or increases its food according as

‘the goddess herself diminishes or increases.

The
innamon
bird

The Ibis

and clysters

36. The Sting-ray in the sea has a far fiercer and The

more dangerous sting than all other creatures. The
proof is that if you fix it in a flourishing tree that has
grown to a great height, then without any delay,
before any time has elapsed, the tree immediately
withers. And if you allow the sting to scratch any
living creature, you kill it at once.

Sting-ray

37. So long as the Shrew-mouse proceeds as chance The Shrew-

directs, it can live, and Nature is on friendly terms
with it, unless it is overtaken by misfortune from

@ See 17. 21.
133

mouse

AELIAN

‘ : ; 3 ? € 1. ᾿ ἐλάσεις,
τς δὲ ἐς ἁρῤματοτροχιὰν ἐμπέσῃ, οἱονεί πέδῃ .κατεί-

ληπται καὶ μάλα ἀφανεῖ, καὶ τέθνηκε. δηχθέντι
δὲ ὑπὸ μυγαλῆς φάρμακον ἐκεῖνο. ἐκ τῆς τῶν
τροχῶν διαδρομῆς ἡ ψάμμος ἀρθεῖσα ἐπεπάσθη
τῷ δήγματι, καὶ ἔσωσε παραχρῆμα. ᾿

58, Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς Αἰγυπτίας ἴβεως
προσακήκοα. ἱερὰ τῆς σελήνης ἡ ὄρνις ἐστί.
τοσούτων γοῦν ὃ ἡμερῶν τὰ wa ἐκγλύφει, ὅσων
ἡ θεὸς αὔξει τε καὶ λήγει. τῆς δὲ Αἰγύπτου

- } ἢ : 4 ~
οὔποτε ἀποδημεῖ. τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, νοτιωτάτη χωρῶν

ἁπασῶν Αἴγυπτός ἐστι, καὶ ἡ σελήνη δὲ νοτιωτάτη
τῶν πλανωμένων ἄστρων πεπίστευται. ἑκοῦσα
μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἂν ἀποδημήσειεν ἡ ἴβις" εἰ δέ τις
ἐπιθέμενος αὐτῇ κατὰ τὸ καρτερὸν ἐξαγάγοι, ἡ δὲ
ἀμύνεται τὸν ἐπιβουλεύσαντα, ἐς οὐδὲν αὐτῷ τὴν
σπουδὴν προάγουσα ἑαυτὴν γὰρ ἀποκτείνει
λιμῷ, καὶ ἀνόνητον τὴν προθυμίαν ἀποφαίνει τῷ
προειρημένῳ. βαδίζει δὲ ἡσυχῆ καὶ κορικῶς, καὶ
οὐκ ἂν αὐτὴν θᾶττον ἢ βάδην προϊοῦσαν θεάσαιτό
τις. καὶ τούτων αἱ μέλαιναι τοὺς πτερωτοὺς
ὄφεις ἐξ ᾿Αραβίας ἐς Αἴγυπτον. παρελθεῖν οὐκ
ἐπιτρέπουσι, τῆς γῆς τῆς φίλης προπολεμοῦσαι"
αἱ δὲ ἕτεραι τοὺς ἐξ Αἰθιοπίας κατὰ τὴν τό
Νείλου ἐπίκλυσιν ἀφικνουμένους ἀπαντῶσαι δια-
φθείρουσιν. ἢ τί ἂν ἐκώλυσε διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων
ἐπιδημίας τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἀπολωλέναι;

᾿ ~ . ” :
39. ᾿Ακούω δέ τι Kal γένος ἀετῶν, Kal ὄνομα.

: ΄σ' ‘ 3 f A
αὐτῷ xpvoderov ἔθεντο, ἄλλοι δὲ. ἀστερίαν τὸν

1 Reiske: οὖν. 2 προαγαγοῦσα.

134

ON ANIMALS, II. 37-39

some other quarter and is killed. When however it
falls into a rut, it is caught, so to say, in quite
invisible fetters and dies. The remedy for a man
who has been bitten by a Shrew-mouse is as follows.
Take some sand from the wheel-track, sprinkle it on
the bite, and it cures him immediately.

38. Here is another story relating to the Egyptian The Ibis

Ibis which I have heard. The bird is sacred to the
moon. At any rate it hatches its eggs in the same
number of days that the goddess takes to wax and
to wane, and never leaves Egypt. The reason for
this is that Egypt is the moistest of all countries and
the moon is believed to be the moistest of all planets.
Of its own free will the Ibis would never quit Egypt,
and should some man lay hands upon it and forcibly
export it, it will defend itself against its assailant and
bring all his labour to nothing, for it will starve itself
to death and render its captor’s exertions vain. It
walks quietly like a maiden, and one would never see
it moving at anything faster than a foot’s pace. The
Black Ibis does not permit the winged serpents from
Arabia to cross into Egypt, but fights to protect the
land it loves, while the other kind encounters the
serpents that come down the Nile when in flood and
destroys them. Otherwise there would have been
nothing to prevent the Egyptians from being killed
by their coming.

89. There is, Iam told, a species of eagle to which The Golden

men have given the name of ἡ Golden Eagle,’ though
135

AELIAN

αὐτὸν καλοῦσιν' ὁρᾶται δὲ οὐ πολλάκις. λέγει
δὲ ᾿Αριστοτέλης αὐτὸν θηρᾶν καὶ νεβροὺς καὶ
λαγὼς καὶ γεράνους καὶ χῆνας ἐξ αὐλῆς. μέγιστος
δὲ ἀετῶν εἶναι πεπίστευται, καὶ λέγουσί γε 1 καὶ
ταύροις ἐπιτίθεσθαι αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν, καὶ
περιηγοῦνται τὸ ἔργον τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. ὁ μὲν
κεκυφὼς κάτω νέμεται ὃ ταῦρος: ὃ δὲ ἀετὸς ἐπὶ
τῷ τένοντι τοῦ ζῴου καθίσας ἑαυτὸν παίει τῷ
στόματι συνεχέσι τε καὶ καρτεραῖς ταῖς πληγαῖς"
ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ οἰστρηθεὶς ἐξάπτεται, καὶ 7} ποδῶν
ἔχει φυγῆς ἄρχεται. καὶ ἕως μέν ἐστιν εὐήλατα,
6 ἀετὸς ἥσυχός ἐστι καὶ ἐπιποτᾶται παραφυλάτ-
των: ὅταν δὲ τὸν ταῦρον θεάσηται πλησίον
κρημνοῦ γεγενημένον, κυκλώσας τὰ πτερὰ καὶ
φ [4 ᾿ -" “ > “~ > ,ὔ 4 >
ὑπερτείνας αὐτοῦ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ἐποίησε τὰ ἐν
ποσὶ μὴ προϊδόμενον 5 κατενεχθῆναι βιαιότατα.
εἶτα ἐμπεσὼν καὶ ἀναρρήξας τὴν γαστέρα, ῥᾳδίως
χρῆται τῇ ἄγρᾳ, ἐς ὅσον ἐθέλει. θήρας δὲ ἀλλο-
τρίας οὐχ ἅπτεται κειμένης, ἀλλὰ χαίρει τοῖς
ἑαυτοῦ πόνοις, κοινωνίαν τε τὴν πρὸς ἄλλον ἥκιστα
ἐνδέχεται. κορεσθεὶς δὲ. εἶτα τοῦ λοιποῦ πονηρὸν
ἄσθμα καὶ δυσωδέστατον καταπνεύσας, ἄβρωτα
τοῖς ἄλλοις τὰ λείψανα ἐᾷ. καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἀλ-
λήλων ἀπῳκισμένας οἰκοῦσι καλιὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ
διαφέρεσθαι ὑπὲρ θήρας [καὶ λυπουμένους λυπεῖν
πολλάκις]. | :

ON ANIMALS, IT. 39-40

others call it Asterias (starred). And it is seldom
seen. Aristotle says* that it hunts fawns, hares,
cranes, and geese of the farmyard. It is believed to
be the largest of eagles; at any rate men say that it
attacks bulls with violence, and its method of attack
they describe as follows. The bull is feeding with
his head down, and the Eagle alights upon his neck
and with its beak delivers a rain of powerful blows.
And the bull goes wild as though stung by a gadfly,
and sets off to run as fast as he can go. So long
as the land makes going easy the Eagle bides its
time, flying above him and watching. But directly
it sees the bull near a precipice it makes an arch with
its wings, covers the bull’s eyes so that he cannot see
what is before him, and down he goes with a fearful

its method
of attacking
bulis

crash. Whereupon the Eagle pounces, rips open his _

stomach, and has no difficulty in enjoying its prey to.

its heart’s content. But the prey killed by some
other creature it will not touch: rather it delights
in its own labours and will not for one moment admit
any other creature to share them. Later when it

has gorged itself, it breathes over the rest of the

carcase a foul and most ill-smelling air, leaving the
remains unfit for any other animal to eat.
more, Eagles build their nests far apart from one
another so as to avoid quarrelling over their prey [and
being a constant source of mutual hurt}.

What is -

40. It seems that Eagles are full of affection even #¢ Bagi,
towards their keepers; witness the Eagle that to its keeper

belonged to Pyrrhus, which (they say) on the death

~ 4 4 4

40. Ἦν {δὲν dpa γένος ἀετῶν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς

Ὁ > \ ξ΄’ “a

τρέφοντας φιλόστοργον, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ τοῦ
~ \ > : “a ~

Πύρρου. τοῦτόν τοί φασι Kat ἐπαποθὰνεῖν ὃ τῷ

4 The passage is not to be found in his extant works.

4 ¢8€ add. H.

2 G. Hoffmann: προειδ-.
5 Jac: ἐναποθανεῖν.

1 γε εἰς τοὺς κρῆτας.

8 [καὶ . . . πολλάκις] del. Η.

136 137

yp henteAnecediseracecinieetoetntmannt ων σα υνο φρο δον centre ROR SUG ELITE OR OSSOSAEND DLAC ALA EASOCDS ASEAN 8 LOO UES BOETTORSBEL ES LU SIS LAS SIEGE RA GLU DSSS GS 2 OT ROR ODL ISRO BOOHER DONO

AELIAN

δεσπότῃ τροφῆς ἀποστάντα. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρὸς

3 7 3 A / 7 ~ ὃ ,ὕ ;
ἰδιώτου ἀετὸς τρόφιμος καομένου τοῦ δεσπότου

ἐς τὴν πυρὰν ἑαυτὸν ἐνέβαλεν: οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἀνδρός,
ἀλλὰ γυναικὸς τὸ θρέμμα εἶναί φασι. ζηλοτυπώτα-
τον δὲ ἄρα ἦν 1 ζῷον ἀετὸς πρὸς τὰ νεόττια. ἐὰν
γοῦν θεάσηταί τινα προσιόντα, ἀπελθεῖν ἀτιμώρη-
τον οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει: παίει γὰρ τοῖς πτεροῖς αὑτὸν
καὶ τοῖς ὄνυξι λυμαίνεται, καὶ ἐπιτίθησίν οἱ
πεφεισμένως τὴν δίκην: οὐ γὰρ χρῆται τῷ στόματι.

41. Ἔστι δὲ θαλαττίων ζῴων τρίγλη λιχνότατον,
καὶ ἐς τὸ ἀπογεύσασθαι παντὸς τοῦ παρατυχόντος
ἀναμφιλόγως ἀφειδέστατον. καί τινες καλοῦνται
λεπρώδεις αὐτῶν, σπάσασαι τὸ ὄνομα ἐκ τῶν
χωρίων, ἅπερ οὖν πέτρας ἔχει λεπράς ® τε καὶ
ἀραιάς, καὶ φυκία μέσα τούτων δασέα, καὶ που
καὶ ὑποκάθηται πηλὸς ἢ. ψάμμος. φάγοι δ᾽ ἂν
τρίγλη καὶ ἀνθρώπου νεκροῦ καὶ ἰχθύος" φιληδοῦσι
δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς. μεμιασμένοις καὶ κακόσμοις.

42. Θηρᾶσαι καὶ μάλα γε ἱκανοὶ καὶ οὐδέν τι
μεῖον τῶν ἀετῶν ἱέρακές εἰσιν, ἡμερώτατοι δὲ
ὀρνίθων πεφύκασι καὶ φιλανθρωπότατοι, τὸ μέγεθος
ἀετῶν οὐκ ὄντες ὀλιγώτεροι. ἀκούω δὲ ὅτι ἐν
τῇ Θράκῃ καὶ ἀνθρώποις εἰσὶ σύνθηροι ἐν ταῖς
ἑλείοις ἄγραις. καὶ ὃ τρόπος, ot μὲν ἄνθρωποι τὰ
δίκτυα ἁπλώσαντες ἡσυχάζουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἱέρακες
ὑπερπετόμενοι φοβοῦσι 3 τοὺς ὄρνεις * καὶ συνωθοῦ-

~ 7 “-- Ὁ,
σιν. ἐς τὰς τῶν δικτύων περιβολάς. τῶν οὖν

»-» > 7 , 3 /
ἡρημένων ot Θρᾷκες μέρος ἀποκρίνουσι καὶ ἐκεὶ-
4 /
vous, καὶ ἔχουσιν φίλους ὅ πιστούς: μὴ δράσαντες
1 καὶ ζηλοτυπώτατον δὲ ἦν. 2 Ges: λεπτάς.

138

ON ANIMALS, II. 40-42

of its master abstained from food and died too. And
there was once an Eagle reared by a private citizen
which threw itself on to the pyre where its master’s
body was burning. Some say that it had been reared
not by aman but by a woman. The Eagle is appar-

ently the most jealous guardian of its young. At and to its

any rate if it sees anyone approaching them, it does
not allow him to depart unpunished, for it beats him
with its wings and lacerates him with its talons; and

. the punishment it inflicts is moderate, for it does not

use its beak.

41. The Red Mullet is of all sea animals the most ee

gluttonous and indisputably the most unrestrained in

tasting everything it comes across. And some of

them are known as ‘ roughs,’ deriving their name
from places where there are rough rocks full of holes
and thick growths of seaweed in them, and where
there is a bottom of mud or sand. A Red Mullet
would eat the dead body of a man or of a fish, and
its special delight is in filthy, ill-smelling food.

42. Falcons are excellent at fowling and are no The Falcon

whit inferior to eagles; they are by nature the tamest
of birds and the most attached to man; in size they
are as large as eagles. And I am told that in Thrace
they even join with men in the pursuit of marsh-fowl.
And this is how they do it. The men spread their
nets and keep still while the Falcons fly over them
and scare the fowl and drive them into the circle of
nets. For this the Thracians allot a portion of their
catch to the Falcons and find them trusty friends;

3 καὶ φοβοῦσι. 4 ὄρνις. 5 αὐτούς,

130

AELIAN

a . ~ ? 3 #

δὲ τοῦτο ἑαυτοὺς τῶν συμμάχων ἐστέρησαν.

: , 1, ¢ 7 es \ 1 oy 4;
μάχεται δὲ ὃ τέλειος ἱέραξ καὶ πρὸς ἀλώπεκα καὶ

4 2 7 4 Ἀ 7 7 ‘4
πρὸς ἀετόν, καὶ yumi μάχεται πολλάκις. καρδίαν
4
δὲ οὐκ ἂν φάγοι ποτὲ ἱέραξ, τελεστικὸν δήπου
δρῶν καὶ μυστικὸν ἐκεῖνος τοῦτο. νεκρὸν δὲ
v 3 Ἄ ct? e ὔ [ 3 4
ἄνθρωπον ἰδὼν ἱέραξ, ὡς λόγος, πάντως ἐπιβάλλει

“» ~ ΄ \ -
γῆς τῷ ἀτάφῳ (καὶ τοῦτο μὲν αὐτῷ οὐ κελεύει,

Σόλων 1), οὐδὲ 2. σώματος ἅψεται. μένει (de>?
ἄγευστος καὶ ποτοῦ, ἐὰν ἐς αὔλακα ἐποχετεύῃ εἷς
ἄνθρωπος: πεπίστευκε γὰρ αὐτὸν πονούμενον
ζημιοῦν ὑφαιρούμενος ἐκ τῆς ἐκείνου χρείας ὕδωρ"
3 \ 7. 3 7 > / ~ e f/f

εἰ δὲ πλείους ἐπάρδοιεν, ἀφθονίαν τοῦ ῥεύματος
δ A e A , A 3 ) A LA

ὁρῶν, ws φιλοτησίας τινὸς ἐξ αὐτῶν μεταλαμβάνει,
καὶ πίνει ἡδέως. |

48. "Ἔστι φῦλον ἱεράκων, καὶ καλεῦται κεγχρηΐς,
\ ~ ὃ -" δὲ Ὁ 4 3 ,ὔ δὲ 7 xv
Kal ποτοῦ δεῖται οὐδὲ ἕν. dpeirns δὲ γένος ἄλλο
ΟΝ , ¢ ,ὔ Ῥ ὅ 3 ὃ ~ λόθ λ ‘
αὐτῶν: καὶ ἑκάτερός ® ἐστι δεινῶς φιλόθηλυς, καὶ
ὔ
ἕπεται κατὰ τοὺς δυσέρωτας, οὐδὲ ἀπολείπεται.
3 Ἁ ξ 4 3 7} los e 4
εἰ δὲ ἡ γυνὴ ἀπέλθοι που παραλαθοῦσα, 6 δὲ
ὑπεραλγεῖ καὶ βοᾷ, καὶ ἔοικε λυπουμένῳ ἐρωτικῶς
“" 7 ‘4 4 4 37 es 3f\ o~
εὖ μάλα. καμόντες δὲ THY ὄψιν ἱέρακες, εὐθὺ τῶν
αἱμασιῶν ἴασι, καὶ τὴν ἀγρίαν θριδακίνην ἀνασπῶ-

\ 4 3 \ 7 ~ 3 27 \ \ :
σι, Kal τὸν ὀπὸν αὐτῆς πικρὸν ὄντα καὶ δριμὺν

ON ANIMALS, II. 42-43

if they do not do so, they at once deprive themselves
of helpers. Now the full-grown Falcon will fight
both with a fox and with an eagle; with a vulture
it frequently fights. But a Falcon will never eat
the heart, thereby presumably fulfilling some mystic
rite. If a Falcon sees the dead body of a man
(so it is said), it always heaps earth upon the un-
buried corpse, though Solon® laid no such injunc-
tion upon it, and will never touch the body. And it
even refrains from drinking if a solitary man is
engaged in leading off water into a channel, feeling
sure that it will cause damage to the man who so
labours if it purloins the water which he needs. But
if several men are engaged in irrigating, it sees that
the stream is abundant and takes its share from the
loving-cup, so to speak, which they offer, and is glad
to drink.

43. There is a species of hawk known as the Kestrel the Kestrel,
which has no need whatever to drink. Another te Ottes

species is the Orites Hawk. Both species are remark-
ably addicted to the female bird and pursue it after
the manner of lovesick men and never cease from the
pursuit. But should the female chance to disappear
without the male noticing it, he is overcome with
grief and cries aloud and is like one in the depths of
woe from love. :

e 4 - > ~ ? ΄οἷὦ ΄“- id \
ὑπὲρ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αἰωροῦσι τῶν σφετέρων, Kat

λειβόμενον δέχονται, καὶ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς ὑγίειαν When Hawks are troubled with their eyesight they The Hawk

and eye-

? 4 4 4 A 4 ? 4 “
ἐργάζεται. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἰατρικοὺς χρῆσθαι

1 Σόλων, ὡς ᾿Αθηναίοις ἐπαίδευσε δρᾶν.
2 Jac: εἰ δέ.

3 <dé> add. Ges.

4 δέεται οὐδέν.

5 Schn: ἕκαστος.

140

go straight to some stone wall and pull up some wild troupies

lettuce and then holding it above their eyes allow
the bitter, astringent juice to drip in; and this
restores their health. And men say that doctors use

α Solon, of Athens, c. 640-c. 560 B.c., reformed the laws and
constitution, .

141

AELIAN

~ “ 7 2... Ἁ ’ a ᾿ ’
τῷδε τῷ φαρμάκῳ ἐς τὴν χρείαν τῶν καμνόντων

\ ᾽ ? i “~ 3 / ¢ wf ,
τὴν αὐγήν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀρνίθων ἡ ἴασις κέκληται"
; \ ~ ἡ 3
καὶ οὐκ ἀρνοῦνται μαθηταὶ ἀκούοντες ὀρνίθων οἱ

ON ANIMALS, II. 43-44

this drug for the benefit of those whose sight is
affected, and the remedy derives its name from these

birds. And men. do not refuse to be called the
disciples of birds; rather they admit as much.

ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ ὁμολογοῦσι. λέγεται δὲ καὶ |
ime a Hawk at Delphi Hawk

θεοσύλην ἐν Δελφοῖς ἐλέγξαι ποτὲ ἱέραξ, ἐμπίπτων _ It is said that once upon ἃ ti ταις
proved a man guilty of sacrilege by swooping upon sacrilege

> A ἃ , A 4 f , A.
τε αὐτῷ καὶ παίων τὴν κεφαλήν. πιστεύονται δὲ

ε a ἢ
εἶναι ἱέρακες καὶ νόθοι, ἀντικριθέντες + πρὸς τὰς.

ἐν

τῶν ἀετῶν φυλάς. ἦρος δὲ ἀρχομένου οἱ ἐν Αὐ-

é ~ € # ? ~
γύπτῳ τῶν ἁπάντων δύο. προαιροῦνται, καὶ ἀπο- ks
Egypt

Zr: : f 7 ‘ > 2
στέλλουσι κατασκεψομένους νήσους τινὰς ἐρήμους,

? 2.2 aA A , , > ¢ 7
αὐπτέερ ~ OVV ΤΉς ιβύης προκείντου. εὐτὰ UTTOOT pEe~

φουσιν οὗτοι, καὶ ἡγοῦνται τῆς πτήσεως τοῖς

ἄλλοις. οἱ δὲ ἥκοντες ὃ ἑορτὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐπιδημίας
τοῖς 4 ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ παρέχουσι: σίνονται γὰρ οὐδὲ
ἕν. παρελθόντες δὲ ἐς τὰς νήσους, ἃς οἱ πρῶτοι
θεασάμενοι. τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδειοτέρας σφίσιν
ἔκριναν, ἐνταῦθα κατὰ πολλὴν τὴν γαλήνην τε καὶ
ἡσυχίαν ὅ ἀποτίκτουσι καὶ ἐκγλύφουσι, καὶ θηρῶν-
σαι στρουθοὺς καὶ πελειάδας, καὶ τοὺς νεοττοὺς
ἐν ἀφθόνοις ἐκτρέφουσιν: εἶτα ἤδη παγέντας καὶ
ἐκπετησίμους γεγενημένους παραλαβόντες ἐς τὴν
Αὔγυπτον ἀπάγουσιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα
(τὰν πατρῷα τὰς ἐν τοῖς συντρόφοις χωρίοις

διατριβάς.

ς» fd ~
44, Αἱ iovdides ἰχθῦς εἰσι πέτραις ἔντροφοι, Kat
» ~ 4 ᾿
ἔχουσιν ἰοῦ τὸ στόμα ἔμπλεων καὶ ὅτου ἂν ἰχθύος
; )
᾿ἀπογεύσωνται, ἄβρωτον ἀπέφηναν αὐτόν. ἤδη δὲ

. € ς LA ¢ / --
καὶ οἱ ἁλιεῖς ἡμιβρώτῳ καρίδι περιτυχόντες, καὶ

1 ἀνακριθέντες. 2 ὅσαιπερ.
€
8 Jac: ἑκόντες. 4 Jac: ἀποδημίας τῆς.
4 ε ͵
5 χὴν ἡσυχίαν. 6 {τάν add. H..

142

him and striking his head. It is also believed that
Hawks are bastards, if they be compared with the
various kinds of eagles.

At the beginning of spring the Hawks of Egypt Hew

select two from all their number and despatch them
to reconnoitre certain desert islands off the coast of
Libya. When they return they act as leaders to the
rest in their flight. And their arrival is the occasion
of rejoicing on the part of the Libyans at their
sojourn, for they do no damage whatever. And hav-
ing reached the islands which the original scouts
decided were the most suitable for them, they there
lay and hatch their eggs in complete security and
peace; and they hunt sparrows and pigeons and rear
their young in an abundance of food. Then when
these have grown strong and are able to fly, they
take the young birds with them back to Egypt as
though they were going to their own homes, that
is to their haunts in regions they have grown to
know.

44, Rainbow Wrasses are nurslings of rocks, and ἐν ἌΝ
alnnow

Wrasse

their mouth is full of poison, and whatever fish they
touch they render uneatable. Indeed if it should
happen that fishermen, coming upon a half-eaten

prawn and fancying that their catch is unsaleable, |

4. A certain species with short, round leaves was known as
Hieracion, for the reason stated; cp. Plin. HN 20. 7.

143

AELIAN

> iam i \ oe 2 : Ψ 3 3 Z
ἀξιώσαντες 1 τὸ θήραμα ἄπρατον ov, εἰ amoyev-
σαιντο αὐτοῦ, κλονοῦνται τὴν γαστέρα καὶ στρέ-
φονται. λυποῦσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ὑδροθηρίαις
ὑποδυομένους τε καὶ νηχομένους, πολλαὶ καὶ
δηκτικαὶ προσπίπτουσαι, ὡς αὐτόχρημα ἐπὶ τῆς

γῆς αἱ μυῖαι’ καὶ δεῖ σοβεῖν. αὐτὰς ἢ κολάζεσθαι ©

ἐσθιόμενον: σοβοῦντι δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀσχολίας ἀπόλωλε
τὸ ἔργον.

45. Λαγὼς δὲ θαλάττιος βρωθεὶς καὶ θάνατον
ἤνεγκε πολλάκις, πάντως δὲ τὴν γαστέρα ὠδύνησεν.
τίκτεται δὲ dpa? ἐν πηλῷ, καὶ οὐκ ὀλιγάκις ταῖς
3 7 / v > 4 a 4 f
ἀφύαις συναλίσκεται: εἴη δ᾽ ἂν κατὰ τὸν κοχλίαν
τὸν γυμνὸν τὸ εἶδος.

46. Γὺψ νεκρῷ πολέμιος. ἐσθίει γοῦν ἐμπεσὼν
ὡς ἐχθρὸν καὶ φυλάττει τεθνηξόμενον. καὶ μέντοι
καὶ ταῖς ἐκδήμοις στρατιαῖς ἕπονται γῦπες, καὶ
μάλα γε μαντικῶς ὅτι 3 ἐς πόλεμον χωροῦσιν
εἰδότες, καὶ ὅτι μάχη πᾶσα ἐργάζεται νεκρούς, καὶ
τοῦτο ἐγνωκότες. γῦπα δὲ ἄρρενα οὔ φασι γίνε-
σθαί ὁ ποτε, ἀλλὰ θηλείας ἁπάσας: ὅπερ ἐπιστά-
μενα τὰ ζῷα καὶ ἐρημίαν τέκνων δεδιότα ἐς
ἐπιγονὴν ὅ τοιαῦτα δρᾷ. ἀντίπρῳροι τῷ νότῳ

f - , ?
πέτονται: εἰ δὲ μὴ εἴη νότος, TH εὔρῳ κεχήνασι,

~ a / \ 4
καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσρέον πληροῖ αὐτάς, καὶ κύουσι
~ “᾿ A X
τριῶν ἐτῶν. λέγουσι δὲ νεοττιὰν μὴ ὑποπλέκειν

1 ἑαυτῶν ὑπὸ πενίας ἀξιώσαντες.
2 δὲ ἄρα] γάρ.

3 γε μαντικῶς ὅτι] μ. ὅτι γε.

4 γενέσθαι.

5 Jac: ἐπιγονὴν τέκνων.

144

ON ANIMALS, II. 44-46

should taste it, they are assailed by convulsions and
torments in their stomach. And the Wrasses also
molest those who dive and swim in pursuit of fish,
falling upon them in great numbers and biting them,
exactly like flies on land; so that one must either
beat them off or be tormented by being eaten up.

But while one is busy beating them off, there is no
time to attend to one’s work.

45. The Sea-hare when eaten has often been the The Sea-
cause even of death; in any case it causes pains in “™
the stomach. It is born in the mud and is not infre-
quently caught along with sprats. In appearance it
is not unlike a snail without its shell.

46. The Vulture is the dead body’s enemy. At The Vulture
any rate it swoops upon it as though it were an δάνει- -
sary and devours it, and watches a man who is in
the throes of death. Vultures even follow in the
wake of armies in foreign parts, knowing by prophetic
instinct that they are marching to war and that every
battle provides corpses, as they have discovered.

It is said that no male Vulture is ever born: all All Vultures
Vultures are female. And the birds knowing this °°“
and fearing to be left childless, take measures to pro-
duce them as follows. They fly against the south
wind. If however the wind is not from the south,
they open their beaks to the east wind, and the in-
rush of air impregnates them, and their period of
gestation lasts for three years. But the Vulture is
said never to make anest. The Aegypius* however, The
which is on the border-line between the vulture and eeypius
the eagle, is both male and female, and is black in

α Perhaps the Lammergeier.

145

AELIAN

γῦπα. τοὺς δὲ αἰγυπιούς, ev μεθορίῳ γυπῶν

δ 4 5 ~ S \ +» \- \
ὄντας καὶ ἀετῶν, εἶναι καὶ ἄρρενας καὶ THY χρόαν.
,ὔ y A 3 ε
πεφυκέναι μέλανας. καὶ τούτων μὲν ἀκούω καὶ
4 ~ 4 4 4 ? : Ξ
νεοττιὰς δείκνυσθαι: γῦπας δὲ μὴ @a τίκτειν

7 . Ἁ \ 30} 4 ς 2 A

πέπυσμαι, νεοττοὺς δὲ ὠδίνειν. καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ
a i > \ “~ a .
γενεᾶς κατάπτεροί. εἰσι, καὶ τοῦτο ἤκουσα.

41. Ἰκτῖνος ἐς ἁρπαγὴν ἀφειδέστατος. οἵδε 3

~ \ > > - 3 ,) id 34
τῶν μὲν ἐξ ἀγορᾶς ἐμποληθέντων κρεαδίων ἐὰν
γένωνται κρείττους, ἥρπασαν προσπεσόντες, τῶν

€

\ 32 “A “ 4 ,ὔ >. wh f
δὲ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Διὸς ἱερουργίας οὐκ ἂν προσάψαιντο.

Ἢ δὲ ὄρειος ἅρπη τῶν ὀρνίθων προσπεσοῦσα
τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀφαρπάξει. :

48. Képaxes Αἰγύπτιοι, ὅσοι τῷ Νείλῳ παρα-
διαιτῶνται,)2 τῶν πλεόντων τὰ πρῶτα ἐοίκασιν
ξ ᾽ > “a > o~ 4 a
ἱκέται εἶναι, λαβεῖν τι αἰτοῦντες: καὶ λαβόντες

ἐ # 3 7 Ὄ
μὲν ἡσυχάζουσιν, ἀτυχήσαντες δὲ ὧν ἥτουν
συμπέτονται, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καθίσαντες ἐπὶ τὸ κέρας

- ~ : f : i
τῆς νεὼς τῶν σχοίνων ἐσθίουσί τε καὶ διατέμνουσι

Ἁ Ld ᾽; 4 7 4 ¢
τὰ ἅμματα. Λίβυες δὲ κόρακες, ὅταν οἱ ἄνθρωποι

,ὔ A
φόβῳ δίψους ὑδρευσάμενοι πληρώσωσι τὰ ἀγγεῖα

, ~ ~ / 2.7 ~
ὕδατος, καὶ κατὰ τῶν τεγῶν θέντες ἐάσωσι τῷ.

2.“ 4 Ὁ 7 3 > ~ ?

ἀέρι τὸ ὕδωρ φυλάττειν ἄσηπτον, ἐνταῦθα ἐς
- Α εὕὔ, f

ὅσον μὲν αὐτοῖς τὰ ῥάμφη κάτεισιν ἐγκύπτοντες,

χρῶνται τῷ ποτῷ ὅταν δὲ ὑπολήξῃ, ψήφους

Σ Pont “A .
κομίζουσι καὶ τῷ στόματι καὶ τοῖς ὄνυξι, καὶ
ἐμβάλλουσιν ἐς τὸν κέραμον: καὶ αἱ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ

- ‘ : . on te
βάρους ὠθοῦνται καὶ ὑφιζάνουσι, τό ye μὴν ὕδωρ
θλ t > λ a Α f s 7 ἘΞ ας

ιβόμενον ἀναπλεῖ. καὶ πίνουσιν εὖ μάλα εὐ-

1 οἵδε εἰ δέοι.

146

ON ANIMALS, II. 46-48

colour, and I am told that their nests are pointed out.
But I have been informed that Vultures do not lay
eggs, but that in their birth-pangs they produce
chicks, and that these are feathered from birth I have
also heard. : ,

47. There is no limit to the robberies of the Kite. The Kite
If they can manage pieces of meat on sale in the |

market, they pounce upon them and carry them off;
on the other hand they will not touch sacrifices
offered to Zeus. But the Mountain Kite * pounces
upon birds and pecks out their eyes.

48. The Ravens in Egypt which live beside the ΤῊΣ ena

Nile at first appear to be begging of the people sailing
on the river, soliciting to be given something. And
if they are given, they stop begging; but if their
solicitations fail, they fly in a mass and perch on the

sailyards of the ship and proceed to eat the ropes and —

to cut the cords. |

But the Ravens of Libya, when men through fear
of thirst draw water and fill their vessels and place
them on the roof so that the fresh air may keep the

water from putrefying, the Ravens, I say, help

themselves to drink by bending over and inserting
their beaks as far as they will go. And when the
water gets too low they gather pebbles in their
mouth and claws and drop them into the earthen-
ware vessel. Now the pebbles are borne down by
their weight and sink, while the water owing to their
pressure rises. So the Ravens by a most ingenious

4 See 1. 35 n.

2 προσδιαιτῶνται, -διαιροῦνται.

147

The Raven

in Libya

AELIAN

μηχάνως οἱ κόρακες, εἰδότες φύσει τινὶ ἀπορρήτῳ
δύο σώματα μίαν χώραν μὴ δέχεσθαι.

49, Λέγει ᾿Αριστοτέλης εἰδέναι τοὺς κόρακας
διαφορὰν γῆς εὐδαίμονός τε καὶ λυπρᾶς, καὶ ἐν
μὲν τῇ παμφόρῳ τε καὶ πολυφόρῳ κατά τε ἀγέλας
καὶ πλήθη φέρεσθαι, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀγόνῳ καὶ στερίφῃ
κατὰ δύο. τούς γε μὴν νεοττοὺς τοὺς ἐκτραφέν-
τας ! τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστος καλιᾶς φυγάδας ἀποφαί-

ς \ ¢ a
νουσιν' ὑπὲρ ὅτου (αὐτοὶ éavrois>*® τροφὴν
, Ἁ “ ᾿
μαστεύουσι, καὶ τοὺς γειναμένους σφᾶς μὴ
τρέφουσιν.

50. Ὑπονύξαντες ἰὸν ἀφιᾶσιν ἰχθύων κωβιὸς
καὶ δράκων καὶ χελιδών, οὐ μὴν ἐς θάνατον: ἡ
τρυγὼν δὲ ἀποκτείνει παραχρῆμα τῷ κέντρῳ.
καὶ λέγει γε Λεωνίδης ὁ Βυζάντιος ἰχθύων φύσεώς
χε καὶ κρίσεως ἄπειρον ἄνθρωπον ἁρπάσαντα ἐκ
δικτύου τρυγόνα (ᾧετο δὲ ἄρα ὁ δυστυχὴς ψῆτταν
εἶναι) φέροντα ὦ ἐπικόλπιον ἐμβαλεῖν καὶ βαδίζειν,"
ὥς τι ἀγαθὸν εὑρόντα καὶ ἐς ἐμπολὴν κερδαλέον
ἑαυτῷ ὃ ἅρπαγμα. ἡ δὲ ἄρα ἤλγησε πιεζομένη,
καὶ παίει τῷ κέντρῳ Teipaca,’ καὶ ἐξέχεε τοῦ
δυστυχοῦς κλέπτου τὰ σπλάγχνα. καὶ ἔκειτο παρὰ
τῇ τρυγόνι νεκρὸς 6 φώρ, ἐναργὴς ἔλεγχος ὧν
οὐκ εἰδὼς ἔδρασεν.

ε ᾽
51. 'O κόραξ, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν ἐς τόλμαν ἀθυμότε-
wv ~ > ~ -
ρον εἴποις τῶν ἀετῶν. ὁμόσε γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τοῖς

1 2 ᾿ , ,

ἐκτραφέντας διώκουσι καί.

2 ζαὐτοὶ ἑαυτοῖς» add. Schn.
?

4 φέροντα ὡς εἶχεν.

148

8 ἐκτρέφουσιν.

5 βαδίζειν ἵνα λάθῃ.

ς,

: ΠΣ
ΤΟΎ τς, ENTERAL AAAS

ὌΠ OSESERLESSIUSIESS LENSER: USES ALIS ALES. ELE LESS ELE AEBS LEE ROEDERER AAA eat

ON ANIMALS, II. 48-51

‘contrivance get their drink; they know by some
_ mysterious instinct that one space will not contain

two bodies.

49. Aristotle asserts [HA 618 b 11] that Ravens
know the difference between a prosperous and a
barren country, and in one that produces all things in
plenty they move about in flocks and great numbers,
but in a barren and unfruitful country in pairs. As
to their young ones, when fully grown, every Raven
panishes them from its nest. For that reason they
seek their food <for themselves) and neglect to care
for their parents.

50. Among fishes the Goby, the Weever, and the
Flying Gurnard emit poison when they prick one;
not that they are deadly; whereas the Sting-ray
with its barb kills on the spot. And Leonidas of
Byzantium tells how a man who knew nothing of
fishes and could not distinguish them, stole a Sting-
ray from a fishing-net—the poor fellow must have
taken it for a flounder—, took it and put it in his
bosom and walked off as though he had found some-
thing good, some spoil whose sale would be profitable
to him. But the Sting-ray hurt by the pressure,
struck and pierced him with its sting, causing the
wretched thief’s bowels to gush out. And there the
thief lay dead beside the Sting-ray, clear evidence
of what he had done in his ignorance.

51. Of the Raven you might say that it has a spirit
no less daring than the eagle, for it even attacks

pee tt “-ἧ΄΄΄-ς.---ς---ς-ῥρ-.---ς-ςςς--

δ f nA 7 ὃ ᾽
εαύτῷῳ ἐχειν.- ἐείρασᾶα-

149

The Raven

Poisonous
fishes

A. Sting-ray

The Raven,
its daring

AELIAN

ζῴοις. χωρεῖ, οὐ μέντοι τοῖς βραχυτάτοις, add’
ὄνῳ τε καὶ ταύρῳ: κάθηταί τε γὰρ κατὰ τῶν
τενόντων καὶ κόπτει αὐτούς, πολλῶν δὲ καὶ
(τοὺς >? ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξέκοψεν ὁ κόραξ. μάχεται
δὲ καὶ ὄρνιθι ἰσχυρῷ, τῷ καλουμένῳ αἰσάλωνι:"
καὶ ὅταν θεάσηται ἀλώπεκι μαχόμενον, τιμωρεῖται"
πρὸς γὰρ ἐκείνην ἔχει τινὰ φιλίαν. ἦν δὲ ἄρα
ὀρνίθων πολυκλαγγότατός τε καὶ πολυφωνότατος"
μαθὼν γὰρ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνην προΐησι φωνήν.
φθέγμα δὲ αὐτοῦ παίζοντος μὲν ἄλλο, σπουδάζοντος
δὲ ἕτερον: εἰ δὲ ὑποκρίνοιτο τὰ ἐκ τῶν θεῶν,
ἱερὸν ἐνταῦθα καὶ μαντικὸν φθέγγεται. ἴσασι δὲ
διὰ τοῦ θέρους ἐνοχλούμενοι ῥύσει γαστρός, καὶ
διὰ ταῦτα ἑαυτοὺς ὑγρᾶς τροφῆς ἀγεύστους
φυλάττουσιν.

δ2. Λέγει δὲ ᾿Αριστοτέλης τῶν ζῴων τὰ μὲν
ur | |

ζῳοτόκα εἶναι, τὰ δὲ φὰ τίκτειν, τὰ δὲ σκώληκας:
\ - rs: .3 -

καὶ ζῷα μὲν ἀνθρώπους γεννᾶν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ. ὅσα

os 3 3 ? ;
τριχῶν ἐστιν ἐπήβολα, καὶ τὰ κητώδη τῶν
-

ἐνύδρων: τούτων δὲ .τὰ μὲν αὐλόν, βράγχια δὲ
3 3 - \ 7 Ε

οὐκ ἔχειν, οἷον δελφῖνα καὶ φάλλαιναν.

: 53. Mvoois ἄγουσιν ἄχθη βόες, καὶ κεράτων
ἀἄμοιροΐ εἰσι. λέγω δὲ τὴν ἀγέλην ἄκερων ὁρᾶσ-
θαι 2 οὐκέτι διὰ ᾿ κρύος, ἀλλὰ τῶν βοῶν τῶνδε
ἰδίᾳ φύσει, καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον παρὰ πόδας"
γίνονται γὰρ καὶ ἐν Σικύθαις κεράτων * οὐκ ἀγέρα-

1 Shag add. Η.
2 λέγω. . . ὁρᾶσθαι] λέγονται. .. ὁρᾶν.
53. Reiske: ἰδία φύσις. ᾿

ON ANIMALS, II. 51-53

animals, and: not the smallest either, but asses and
bulls. It settles on their neck and pecks them, and
in many cases it actually gouges out their eyes. And
it fights with that vigorous bird the merlin, and when-
ever it sees it fighting with a fox, it comes to the fox’s
rescue, for it is on friendly terms with the animal.
The Raven must really be the most clamorous of
birds and have the largest variety of tones, for it can

be taught to speak like a human being. For playful

moods it has one voice, for serious moods another, and
if it is delivering answers from the gods, then its voice
assumes a devout and prophetic tone. |

its various
tones

Ravens know that in summer they suffer from its diet

looseness of the bowels; for that reason they are
careful to abstain from moist food.

52. Aristotle tells us [HA 489 Ὁ 1] that some ani-
mals are viviparous, others oviparous, that others
again produce grubs. The viviparous are man and
all other creatures that have hair, and among marine
animals the cetaceans. And of these some have a
blow-hole but no gills, like the dolphin and the
whale. |

53. In Moesia ὁ the Oxen draw loads and are horn-
less. And I maintain that it is not due to the cold
that herds are to be seen without horns, but that it
is due to the peculiar nature of the Oxen. And the
proof is to hand, for even in Scythia there are oxen

α Moesia (Gk. Mucia), bounded on the N by the Danube,
on the S by the Balkan mts, corresponded (roughly speaking)
to the northern half of the modern Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

4 Reiske: κεράτων ἐν X.

151

Viviparous
animals

Florniess

Oxen of
Moesia

AELIAN

7 3 \ ὃ 4 5 7’ λ “ , ?
στοι βόες. ἐγὼ dé ἀκούω λέγοντός τινος ἐν συγ-
σὰ 4 , ὃ Φ 3 oh “~
γραφῇ καὶ μελίττας Σικυθίδας εἶναι, ἐπαΐειν τε τοῦ
᾿ , +O \ 4 A ‘4 \ ΄. 3
κρύους οὐδὲ ἕν, καὶ μέντοι καὶ πιπράσκειν ἐς
‘ / ? 3 3 al
Μυσοὺς κομίζοντας Σκύθας οὐκ ὀθνεῖόν σῴισιν
? Ἁ > Ἁ , % ? 3 ¢ > A
ἀλλὰ αὐθιγενὲς μέλι Kal κηρία ἐπιχώρια. εἰ δὲ
3 ? ξ 7 ὔ 7 > 4 ¢ 4
ἐναντία “Ἡροδότῳ λέγω, μή μοι aylécbw: ὃ yap
ley t ? \ εἴ / 9 ὃ 9 > 3
ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἱστορίαν ἀποδείκνυσθαι ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ
3 ᾿ 3 ¥ ¢ aA 2 7
ἀκοὴν ἄδειν ἔφατο ἡμῖν ἀβασάνιστον.

ὅ4. Τῶν θαλαττίων πυνθάνομαι μόνον τὸν σκά-
ρον τὴν τροφὴν ἀναπλέουσαν ἐπεσθίειν, ὥσπερ
> \ 4 7 a 4 A “ ?
οὖν καὶ τὰ βληχητά, ἃ δὴ καὶ μαρυκᾶσθαι λέγουσιν.

δῦ. Ὃ γαλεὸς ὠδζψει διὰ τοῦ στόματος ἐν τῇ
θαλάττῃ, πάλιν τε ἐσδέχεται τὰ βρέφη, καὶ
ἀνεμεῖ ταῖς αὐταῖς ὁδοῖς ζῶντα καὶ ἀπαθῆ.

56. Μυὸς ἧπαρ καὶ μάλα ἐκπληκτικῶς τε καὶ
a Ro, / > fic = 4
παραδόξως τῆς μὲν σελήνης αὐξανομένης λοβὸν
ἑαυτῷ τινα ἐπιτίκτει ὁσημέραι μέχρι διχομήνου"
εἶτα αὖ πάλιν ὑπολήγει μειουμένου τοῦ μηνὸς τὸν
” λ 7 2 4 3.3." 39. . ἃ ~ λί θ > /
ἰσον Λόγον," ἔστ᾽ * av ἐς * σῶμα κατολίσθῃ avei~
δεον. ἀκούω δὲ ἐν τῇ Θηβαΐδι χαλάξ j
cov. ἀκούω δὲ ἐν τῇ Θηβαΐδι χαλάζης πεσούσης
ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁρᾶσθαι μύας, ὧν τὸ μὲν πηλός
> v 4 \ 4 3 2 A \ > "ἡ 3? *
ἐστιν ἔτι, TO δὲ σὰρξ ἤδη. ἐγὼ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐκ τῆς
᾿Ιταλικῆς Νέας πόλεως ἐλαύνων ἐς Δικαιαρχίαν
ὕσθην βατράχοις, καὶ τὸ μὲν μέρος αὐτῶν τὸ πρὸς
»" ~ 4 7 ra ἐν > Ff 3 \
τῇ κεφαλῇ εἷρπε, Kal δύο πόδες ἦγον αὐτό, TO δὲ
1 Schn: τοιαῦτα. |
3 ὑπαφανίζον ἔστ᾽. τς ἃ εἰς ἕν,

4 The original Greek name of Puteoli.

ON ANIMALS, II. 53-56

not destitute of the glory of horns. And I have

learnt from one who records the fact in his history
that there are even Bees in Scythia and that they do Boos in
not mind the cold at all. And what is more, the “ye
Scythians bring and sell to the Moesians honey,
which is no alien produce but native, and honey-
combs of their own country. -

If I contradict Herodotus [5. 10], I hope he will not
be angry with me, for the man who reported these
things vowed that he was presenting the results of
his own enquiry and not merely repeating what he
had heard and what we could not verify.

54. I learn that of saltwater fishes the Parrot ΤῸ ἘΕΡῸΙ
Wrasse alone regurgitates its food and eats it after-
wards, as sheep do, which are said to chew the cud.

55. The Shark brings forth its young through its The Shark
mouth in the sea and takes them back again and then young
disgorges them by the same channel alive and
unharmed. | a

56. The liver of the Mouse has the most astound- The Mouse
ing and unexpected habit of growing a lobe day by ** ae
day as the moon waxes, up to the middle of the
month. Then again in proportion as the month
declines, so the lobe gradually dwindles until it loses
its shape and disappears into the body. |

And I am told that when it hails in the Thebaid, A shower of
mice are to be seen on the earth, and one part οὔτ
them is still mud while the other is already flesh.

And I myself on a journey from Naples to

Dicaearchia * encountered a shower of frogs, and the of frogs
forepart of them was crawling, supported by two feet,

153

ἘΣ
ere
35.

AELIAN

rae , “ yw

ἐπεσύρετο ἔτι ἄπλαστον, Kal ἐῴκει EK τινος ὕλης
Ly -. - ᾿ x
ὑγρᾶς συνεστῶτι.

57. Τὸ τῶν βοῶν ἄρα πάγχρηστον ἦν γένος }

1 3 ‘4 ’ : :
καὶ ἐς γεωργίας κοινωνίαν Kal ἐς ἀγωγὴν φόρτου

διαφόρου. καὶ γαυλοὺς 2 ἐμπλῆσαι βοῦς ἀγαθός
ἐστι, καὶ βωμοὺς κοσμεῖ, καὶ ἀγάλλει πανηγύρεις,
καὶ πανθοινίαν παρέχει. καὶ ἀποθανὼν δὲ βοῦς
γενναῖόν τι χρῆμα καὶ ἀξιέπαινον. μέλιτται γοῦν
ἐκ τῶν ἐκείνου λειψάνων ἐκφύονται, ζῷον φιλεργό-

\ o~ ἴω \ .
τατον καὶ τῶν καρπῶν τὸν ἄριστόν τε καὶ yAVKLOTOV

>, > 7
ἐν ἀνθρώποις παρασκευάζον, τὸ μέλι.

: Η yan
1 γένος καὶ ἀνθρώποις ζῷον λυσιτελέστατον.
- ,
2 Reiske: γάλακτος :

154

ON ANIMALS, II. 56-57

while the other part trailed behind, still formless,
seeming to consist of some moist substance.

57. Oxen are after all the most serviceable crea-
tures. At sharing the farmer’s labours, at carrying
loads of various kinds, at filling the milk-pail—at all
these things the Ox is excellent. He graces the
altars, gladdens festivals, and provides a solemn
banquet. And even when dead the Ox is a splendid
creature deserving our praise. At any rate bees are
begotten of his carcase—bees, the most industrious of
creatures, which afford the best and sweetest of fruits
that man has, namely honey.

155

μοὶ
=
ra
Ο
fe)
oe

1. Μαυρουσίῳ δὲ ἀνδρὲ ὃ λέων καὶ ὅδοῦ
κοινωνεῖ καὶ πίνει τῆς αὐτῆς πηγῆς ὕδωρ. ἀκούω
δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐς τὰς οἰκίας τῶν Μαυρουσίων ot

λ 7 “- @ 3 a > ἢ > ᾿.-"
ἔοντες φοιτῶσιν, ὅταν αὐτοῖς ἀπαντήσῃ ἀθηρία

A 3 3 4 3 3 7? \ oN \
Kat λιμὸς αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρὸς περιλάβῃ. καὶ ἐὰν μὲν
παρῇ <o>+ ἀνήρ, ἀνείργει τὸν λέοντα καὶ ἀναστέλ--
λει διώκων ava κράτος" ἐὰν δὲ 6 μὲν ἀπῇ, μόνη
δὲ ξ 4 K ~ ‘4 L {πὰ > 3 > ~
δὲ ἡ γυνὴ αταλειφθῇ, λόγο ς αὐτὸν ἐντρεπτικοῖς
ἴσχει τοῦ πρόσω καὶ ῥυθμίζει, σωφρονίζουσα
ἑαυτοῦ κρατεῖν καὶ μὴ φλεγμαίνειν ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ.
ἐπαΐει δὲ ἄρα λέων φωνῆς Μαυρουσίας, καὶ ὁ

- a / os ~
νοῦς τῆς ἐπιπλήξεως TH γυναικὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ
θηρίον τοιόσδε ἐστίν, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι λέγουσι: ‘od δὲ

? bins td Ἂ e ~ ? 4 > 4 Ἅ
οὐκ αἰδῇ λέων ὧν 6 τῶν ζῴων βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν
> A
ἐμὴν καλύβην ἰών, Kat γυναικὸς δεόμενος ἵνα τρα-
dfs, καὶ δίκην ἀνθρώπου λελωβημένου τὸ σῶμα
3

“ 3 ? ef δ
ἐς χεῖρας γυναικείας ἀποβλέπεις, ἵνα οἴκτῳ καὶ

λέ 7 Φ ὃ 7 ᾿ “ 2 ὃ / 2 > / ¢ ~

ἐλέῳ τύχης dv δέῃ; dv? δέον ἐς ὀρείους ὁρμῆσαι
διατριβὰς ἐπί τε ἐλάφους καὶ βουβαλίδας καὶ τὰ
λοιπὰ ὅσα λεόντων δεῖπνον ἔνδοξον. κυνιδίου δὲ
LONE ? 3 > “- on ? \ €
ἀθλίου dice? ἀγαπᾷς παρατραφῆναι. Kat ἡ
μὲν ἐπάδει τοιαῦτα, ὃ δὲ ὥσπερ οὖν πληγεὶς τὴν
ψυχὴν καὶ ὑποπλησθεὶς αἰδοῦς ἡσυχῆ καὶ κάτω
βλέπων ἀπαλλάττεται, ἡττηθεὶς τῶν δικαίων. εἰ
,

δὲ ἵπποι καὶ κύνες διὰ τὴν συντροφίαν ἀπειλούντων

1 <6> add. Jac. 2 ὅν del, Cobet.
158

3 4 ᾽
φύσει προσεοικώς.

BOOK Il

1. A Lion will accompany a Moor on his journey
and will drink water from the same spring. An
am told that Lions even resort to the houses of
Moors when they fail to find any prey and are over-
taken by the pangs of hunger. And if the master of
the house happens to be there, he keeps the Lion off
and drives him away, pursuing him vigorously. If
however he is out and his wife is left all alone, then
with words that put the Lion to shame she checks his
approach, restrains him, and admonishes him to con-
trol himself and not to allow his hunger to incense
him. The Lion, it seems, understands the Moorish
tongue; and the sense of the rebuke which the
woman administers to the animal is (so they say) as

The Lion in
Mauretania

follows. ‘Are not you ashamed, you, a Lion, the

king of beasts, to come to my hut and to ask a woman
to feed you, and do you, like some cripple, look to a
woman’s hands hoping that thanks to her pity and
compassion you may get what you want !—You who
should be on your way to mountain haunts in pursuit
of deer and antelopés and all other creatures that
lions may eat without discredit. Whereas, like some
sorry lap-dog, you are content to be fed by another.’
Such are the spells she employs, whereupon the Lion,
as though his ‘heart ‘smote him and he were filled
with shame, quietly and with downcast eyes moves
off, overcome by the justice of her words.

Now if horses and hounds through being reared in

159

AELIAN

ἀνθρώπων συνιᾶσι καὶ καταπτήσσουσι, καὶ Mav-
ρουσίους οὐκ ἂν θαυμάσαιμι λεόντων ὄντας
συντρόφους καὶ ὁμοτρόφους αὐτοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν
ἐκείνων ἀκούεσθαι. τοῖς γάρ τοι βρέφεσι τοῖς
ἑαυτῶν μαρτυροῦσιν ὅτι τοὺς σκύμνους τῶν
λεόντων τῆς ἴσης τε καὶ ὁμοίας διαίτης ἀξιοῦσι
καὶ κοίτης μιᾶς καὶ στέγης" καὶ ἐκ τούτων καὶ
φωνῆς τῆς προειρημένης ἀκούειν τοὺς θῆρας, οὐδὲν
οὔτε ἄπιστον οὔτε παράδοξον. 3

: “A v4 7
2. Ἵππου δὲ τῆς Λιβύσσης πέρι Λιβύων λεγόν-
των ἀκούω τοιαῦτα. ὥὦκιστοι μέν εἰσιν ἵππων,
7 δὲ ” 1 3 θά 9 N\3 δὲ ω
καμάτου δὲ 4+ τι αἰσθάνονται " <H>° ovde ἐν.
᾽
λεπτοὶ δὲ καὶ οὐκ εὔσαρκοι, ἐπιτήδειοί γε μὴν
καὶ φέρειν ὀλιγωρίαν δεσπότου εἰσίν. οὔτε γοῦν
“ ¢
αὐτοῖς κομιδὴν προσφέρουσιν ot δεσπόται, οὐ

καταψῶντες, οὐ καλινδήθραν ἐργασάμενοι, οὐχ.

ξ 4 > ,ὔ > , / >
ὁπλὰς ἐκκαθαίροντες, οὐ κόμας κτενίζοντες, οὐ
? ς 7 3 7 4 3 Ἁ
χαίτας ὑποπλέκοντες, οὐ λούοντες καμόντας, ἀλλὰ
: f
ἅμα τε διήνυσαν τὸν προκείμενον δρόμον, καὶ
ta A Ἁ A.
ἀποβάντες νέμεσθαι ἱᾶσι. καὶ λεπτοὶ μὲν καὶ
> ’ ¢ 7 3. 4 7 Ἅ λῳ
αὐχμώδεις οἱ Λίβυες, ἐπὶ τοιούτων δὲ καὶ ἵππων
“- “ 4
ὀχοῦνται. coBapot δὲ Μῆδοι καὶ aBpot, Kat
f δ
μέντοι καὶ οἱ ἐκείνων ὃ ἵπποι. gains ἂν αὐτοὺς
Fans “ \ ~ “~
τρυφᾶν adv τοῖς δεσπόταις Kat TH μεγέθει τοῦ
7 \ χὰ ? uv 4 \ ~ Can \
σώματος καὶ τῷ κάλλει, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῇ χλιδῇ καὶ
a ~ “᾿ A ~
τῇ θεραπείᾳ τῇ ἔξωθεν. ταῦτά τοι καὶ περὶ τῶν
κυνῶν ἔπεισι νοεῖν μοι. κύων Κρῆσσα κούφη καὶ
‘ ,
ἁλτικὴ καὶ ὀρειβασίαις σύντροφος: καὶ μέντοι
1 Reiske: δή.
8 47) add. Reiske.

5 ἐκείνων τοιοῦτοι.
160

2 Schn: atofovrat.
4 καταψῶντες Kapovras.

ἢ
ΐ
ὃ

ON ANIMALS, III. 1-2

their company understand and quail before the
threats of men, I should not be surprised if Moors
too, who are reared and brought up along with Lions,
are understood by these very animals. For the
Moors profess to treat lion-cubs to the same kind οὗ.
food, the same bed, and the same roof as their own
children. Consequently there is nothing incredible
or marvellous in Lions understanding human speech
as described abave.

9. Concerning the Libyan Horse this is what I have The Horses

learnt from accounts given by the Libyans. These ©

Horses are exceedingly swift and know little or noth-
ing of fatigue; they are slim and not well-fleshed but
are fitted to endure the scanty attention paid to them -
by their masters. At any rate the masters devote

Libya

no care to them: they neither rub them down nor —

roll them nor clean their hooves nor comb their
manes nor plait their forelocks nor wash them when
tired, but as soon as they have completed the journey
they intended they dismount and turn the Horses
loose to graze. Moreover the Libyans themselves
are slim and dirty, like the Horses which they ride.

The Persians on the other hand are proud and deli- of Persia

cate, and what is more, their Horses are like them.
One would say that both horse and master prided
themselves on the size and beauty of their bodies and
even on their finery and outward adornment.

And here is a point which occurs to me.to note in Hounds of
s Ld . n
connexion with Hounds. The Cretan Hound is ¢ountries

nimble and can leap and is brought up to range the

6 ΝΜ θ AY “-ν θ 7 sf? 3 8 # 4θ ΄-

ἔξωθεν καὶ τῇ θρύψει ἐοίκασιν αἰσθανομένοις μεγέθους τε τοῦ
᾿ ? “ lal

σφετέρου καὶ κάλλους καὶ ὅτι χλιδῶσι τῷ κόσμῳ. -

161
VOL. I. | | G

AELIAN

καὶ αὐτοὶ Κρῆτες τοιούτους αὑτοὺς παραδεικνύασι, 1
καὶ ᾷἄδει ἡ φήμη. θυμικώτατος δὲ κυνῶν Μολοσ-
σός, ἐπεὶ θυμωδέστατοι καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες. ἀνὴρ δὲ

? \ ὔ > / > , \
Kappavios Kat κύων ἀμφότεροι ἀγριωτάτω και,

μειλιχθῆναι ἀτέγκτω," φασιν.

3. Ἴδια δὲ ἄρα φύσεως ζῴων καὶ ταῦτα ἦν.
ὃν οὔτε ἄγριον οὔτε ἥμερον ἐν ᾿Ἰνδοῖς γίνεσθαι 3
λέγει Krnoias, πρόβατα δὲ τὰ ἐκείνων οὐρὰς
πήχεως ἔχειν τὸ πλάτος πού φησιν.

4. Οἱ μύρμηκες of ᾿Ινδικοὶὺ <ot>* τὸν χρυσὸν
φυλάττοντες οὐκ ἂν διέλθοιεν τὸν καλούμενον
Καμπύλινον ποταμόν. ᾿Ισσηδόνες δὲ τούτοις συνοι-
κοῦντες ® τοῖς μύρμηξι . . «ὁ καλοῦνταί τε καί
εἰσιν. |

fo A “a
5. Φαγοῦσα ὄφεως χελώνη καὶ ἐπιτραγοῦσα
ὀριγάνου ἐξάντης γίνεται τοῦ κακοῦ, ὃ πάντως
αὐτὴν Ἰ ἀνελεῖν ἔμελλεν.
Ἁ \ 3 , Ζ \
Περιστερὰν δὲ ὀρνίθων σωφρονεστάτην Kat Ke-
7 > 3 f 7 3 7 /
κολασμένην és ἀφροδίτην μάλιστα ἀκούω λεγόν-
᾽ A
των: οὐ γάρ ποτε ἀλλήλων διασπῶνται, οὔτε ἡ
\ ~ Ἁ -ν
θήλεια, ἐὰν μὴ ἀφαιρεθῇ τύχῃ τινὶ τοῦ συννόμου,
¢ ἮΝ \ - [4
οὔτε 6 ἄρρην, ἐὰν ® μὴ χῆρος γένηται.
Πέρδικες δὲ ἀκράτορές εἰσιν ἀφροδίτης: οὐκοῦν
‘ > a \ # > ,ὔ ῳ 4 3
τὰ φὰ τὰ γεννώμενα ἀφανίζουσιν, iva μὴ ἄγωσιν
1 περιδεικνῦσι.
Schn: ἀγριώτατοι. . . ἄτεγκτα.
Schn: γενέσθαι.
<ot> add. Jac.

συνοικοῦντές γε.
Lacuna.

oo 1 FF ἐδ WN

162

_ birds the most temperate and restrained in its sexual nence:

ON ANIMALS, III. 2-5

mountains. Moreover the Cretans show the same
qualities, such is the common report. Among
Hounds the Molossian is the most high-spirited, for
the men also of Molossia are hot-tempered. In
Carmania too both men and Hounds are said to be
most savage and implacable.

3. The following also are examples of the peculiari- India,
ties of animal nature. Ctesias reports that neither ao
the wild nor the domestic Pig exists in India, and he
says somewhere that Indian Sheep have tails one its sheep

cubit in width. |

4. The Ants of India which guard the gold will not The Ants of
cross the river Campylinus.? And the Issedonians ® **"*
who inhabit the same country as the Ants . . . they
are called, and so they are.

5. If a Tortoise eats part of a snake and thereafter Marjoram,
some marjoram, it becomes immune from the poison sae ee
which was bound to be quite fatal to it. 2

I have heard people say that the Pigeon is of all The Pigeon,
relations. For Pigeons never separate, neither the
female bird unless by some mishap she is parted from
her mate, nor the male unless he is widowed. |

Partridges on the other hand are unrestrained in The |
their indulgence. For that reason they destroy the aylokeche
eggs that have been laid, in order that the female tence

¢ Not identified. Ὁ ; a ΕΝ ~

> The Issedonians appear to have inhabited a region to the
NE of the Caspian Sea.

8 tg

1 αὐτὴν ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς. ἦν."

163°

AELIAN

¢ 7 »-Ν ΚᾺ A > \
ai θήλειαι παιδοτροφοῦσαι τῆς πρὸς αὑτοὺς
ὁμιλίας ἀσχολίαν.

7 4 7 e A “~ \ 4
6. Λύκοι ποταμὸν διανέοντες, ὕπερ τοῦ μὴ πρὸς
“ “-- > = 3
βίαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ῥεύματος ἐμβολῆς ἀνατρέπεσθαι
ἕρμα ἴδιον αὐτοῖς ἡ φύσις συμπλάσασα ἐδιδάξατο

, 3 > ‘4 \ A 3 A!
σωτηρίαν ἐξ ἀπόρων καὶ pada εὔπορον. Tas

> AN A 3 7 ? 4 4 > ?
οὐρὰς τὰς ἀλλήλων ἐνδακόντες, εἶτα ἀντιπίπτουσι
“.Μ > ~
τῷ ῥεύματι, καὶ ἀλύπως 1 διενήξαντο καὶ ἀσφαλῶς.

7. "Ovots θηλείαις βρώμησιν ἡ φύσις οὐκ
ἔνειμε, φασί. κύνας δὲ ἀφώνους ἀποφαίνειν ταῖς
ὑαίναις 5 ἡ αὐτὴ παρέσχεν. εὐωδία δὲ καὶ μύρον
γυψὶν αἴτια θανάτου. κύκνων δὲ κώνειον ὄλεθρος.
κάμηλον δὲ ὡς δέδοικεν ἵππος ἔγνω Κῦρός τε καὶ
Ἰζροῖσος, ὥς φασιν.

8. Τὰ βρέφη τὰ τῶν ἵππων ὅταν αἱ μητέρες
καταλίπωσι πρὸ τῆς ἐκείνων ἐκθρέψεως οἷον
ὀρφανά, ἐκτρέφουσι μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων παιδίων
οἰκτείρουσαι αἱ ἄλλαι αὐτά.

~ > Pa > 4 , 1, ¢
9. Κορῶναι ἀλλήλαις εἰσὶ πιστόταται, καὶ ὅταν
3 f 7 / “-“"
ἐς κοινωνίαν συνέλθωσι, πάνυ σφόδρα ἀγαπῶσι
“- Δ 7 ~ A ~
odds, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἴδοι τις μιγνύμενα ταῦτα τὰ ζῷα
5 \ , [1
ἀνέδην καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν. λέγουσι δὲ οἱ τὰ ὑπὲρ
τούτων ἀκριβοῦντες ὅτι ἂν ®
3 Xr \ 7 9 7 δὲ Ἁ ON \ >
τὸ λοιπὸν χηρεύει. ἀκούω δὲ τοὺς πάλαι καὶ ἐν
“a 7 Α , € \ ?
τοῖς γάμοις μετὰ τὸν ὑμέναιον ᾿ τὴν κορώνην
1 ἀλύπως ye MSS, a. τε Reiske.
2 «as daivas ὅταν αὐταῖς τὴν σκιὰν ἐπιβάλῃ.
8 κἄν"
KaY.

164

5 , 4 Ψ
ἀποθάνῃ τὸ ἕτερον,

a
ΡΥ
᾿
|
-.

ON ANIMALS, III. 5-9

birds may not be too busy with nursing their chicks
to have time for sexual intercourse.

6. When Wolves swim across a river Nature has Wolves _
devised for them an original safeguard to prevent τον
them from being forcibly carried away by the impact
of the stream and has taught them how to escape
from difficulties, and that with ease. Fastening their
teeth in one another’s tails they then breast the —
stream and swim across without harm or danger.

7. It is said that Nature has not bestowed the Animal anti-
power of braying upon she-Asses. Nature too has a
enabled Hyenas to stop hounds from barking. The
fragrance of perfumes causes death to Vultures;
hemlock is the bane of Swans; Cyrus and Croesus
learned how Horses dread camels, so the story
goes. .

8. When Mares desert their foals and leave them, Mares ana
like orphans, before they are fully weaned, other [958
Mares take compassion on them and bring them up
with their own foals. | ;

9. Crows are exceedingly faithful to each other, The Crow
and when they enter into partnership they love one facity ον
another intensely, and you would never see these
creatures indulging freely in promiscuous intercourse.

And those who are accurately informed about them
assert that if one dies, the other remains in widow-
hood. Ihave heard too that men of old used actually.

at weddings to sing ‘the Crow ’@ after the bridal
4 Cp. Carm. pop. 31 (Diehl, Anth. lyr. Gr.) and L-S® s.v.

3 f
EKKOPEW.

165

AELIAN

ddew,! σύνθημα ὁμονοίας τοῦτο τοῖς συνιοῦσιν
> 19 5 7 διδά ᾿ : sas Ξὰ 4 9
ἐπὶ 5 παιδοποιίᾳ διδόντας. οἱ de*% Eedpas ὀρνίθων
A / λ 7 3 3 ? A 4
καὶ πτήσεις παραφυλάττοντες οὐκ εὐσύμβολον
“- ‘4 ,ὔ
ὀπυίουσιν ὅ εἷναί φασιν ὑπακοῦσαι κορώνης μίας .®
ἐπεὶ δὲ. ἡ γλαθξ ἐστιν. αὐτῇ πολέμιον, καὶ νύκτωρ
a “a “~ € A
ἐπιβουλεύει τοῖς @ois τῆς κορώνης, ἡ δὲ μεθ᾽
ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ταὐτὸ δρᾷ τοῦτο, εἰδυῖα ἔχειν τὴν
“-- “- 3 ζ΄΄᾿
ὄψιν τηνικαῦτα τὴν γλαῦκα ἀσθενῆ.

10. "Eyivov τὸν χερσαῖον οὐκ ἄσοφον οὐδ᾽

5 “a / “~ >. 4 7 € Ua > “
ἀμαθῆ ταμιείας τῆς ἐς τὴν χρείαν ἡ φύσις ἐποίησεν.

τ 3 A \ a ~. / Ἁ 4 ξ a 3
ἐπεὶ γὰρ δεῦται τροφῆς διετησίου, τὰ δὲ wpata οὐ
~ : A a aA

πᾶσα wpa δίδωσιν, ἑαυτὸν ἐν ταῖς τρασιαῖς κυλίει,

“ ‘ [4 A /
φασί, καὶ τῶν ἰσχάδων τὰς περιπαρείσας, at

Α 3 f 8 “A 2 # θ Cos ΄- I
πολλαὶ ἐμπήγνυνται 8 ταῖς ἀκάνθαις, ἡσυχῆ κομίζει

1 2 , Ns ay a. 2
καὶ ἀποθησαυρίσας φυλάττει, καὶ ἔχει λαβεῖν ἐκ
“- lan ῳ ? > ei 3 ? 3
τοῦ φωλεοῦ, ὅτε πορίσαι οὐχ οἷόν τε ἔξωθέν ἐστιν.

11. "Ἤδη μέντοιϑ καὶ τῶν ζῴων τὰ ἀγριώτατα
πρὸς τὰ ὀνῆσαι δυνάμενα εἰρηναῖα καὶ ἔνσπονδά
ἐστι, τῆς συμφυοῦς κακίας ἐς τὴν χρείαν παραλυ-
θέντα. 6 γοῦν κροκόδιλος νήχεταί τε ἅμα καὶ
κέχηνεν. ἐμπίπτουσιν οὖν at βδέλλαι. ἐς -αὐτὸν
καὶ λυποῦσιν. ὅπερ εἰδὼς ἰατροῦ δεῖται τοῦ
τροχίλου: πλήρης γὰρ αὐτῶν γενόμενος, ἐπὶ τὴν
ὄχθην προελθὼν κατὰ τῆς ἀκτῖνος κέχηνεν. ὃ
τοίνυν τροχίλος ἐμβαλὼν τὸ ῥάμφος ἐξάγει τὰς
προειρημένας, καρτερεῖ δὲ. ὠφελούμενος 6 κροκόδι-

3 γε.

1 καλεῖν. ο 3 ἐπὶ τῇ.
4 3.7 > ,
εὐσύμβολον εἰς μαντείαν.
. δ Pierson: ὀττεύουσιν mss and H, who regards ὑπακοῦσαι

corrupt. | , ae

166. :

i
;
3
a
ἕ
zi
Ζῇ
Si
ΕἾ
|
3
ἢ
Ε
:
:

‘ON ANIMALS, III. 9-21

song by way of pledging those who came together

for the begetting of children to be of one mind.

While those who observe the quarters from which

birds come and their flight, declare that to hear a
single Crow is an evil omen at a wedding. Since the

Owl is an enemy of the Crow and at night has designs Ow! ana
upon the Crow’s eggs, the Crow by day does the same yee
to her, knowing that at that time the Owl's sight is
feeble.

10. Nature has made the Hedgehog prudent and The
: : se : : Hedgehog

experienced in providing for its own wants. Thus, ~
since it needs food to last a whole year, and since

every season does not yield produce, it rolls among
fig-crates (they say), and such dried figs as are pierced

—a great number become fixed upon its prickles—it

quietly removes, and after laying up a store, keeps

them and can draw from its nest when it is impossible

to obtain food out of doors. —

11. It is a fact that the fiercest of animals will, The _
when the need arises, lay aside their natural savagery “°°”
and be peaceful and gently disposed towards those
that can be of service to them. For instance, the
Crocodile swims with its Jaws open; accordingly
leeches fall into them and cause it pain. Knowing ©
this it needs the Egyptian Plover as doctor. For and the
when it is infested with leeches, it moves to the bank pen!"
and opens its jaws to face the sun. Whereupon the
Egyptian Plover inserts its beak and draws out the
aforesaid creatures, while the Crocodile endures this.

86. Gow: κορώνη pia MSS, H. 7 Retske: κυλίειν.
2 ρ va é

8 πήγνυνται. 9. μέν. ᾿

167-

i
3
ii
1
i
?
;
i

AELIAN

Nos καὶ ἀτρεμεῖ. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἔχει δεῖπνον τὰς
7 ε + 3 ἡ \ 4 4 9 “~ |
βδέλλας, ὁ δὲ ὀνίναται, καὶ TO μηδὲν ἀδικῆσαι τὸν

τροχίλον λογίζεταί of μισθόν.

! /
12. Κολοιοὺς δὲ εὐεργέτας νομίζουσι καὶ Θετ-
\ \ 3 \ 4 4 \ /
ταλοὶ καὶ ᾿Ιλλυριοὶ καὶ Λήμνιοι, καὶ δημοσίας γε
A o~ >
αὐτοῖς τροφὰς ebnpicavto,* ἐπεὶ τῶν ἀκρίδων, αἵ
a ,
λυμαίνονται 2 τοὺς καρποὺς τοῖς προειρημενοῖς, τὰ
φὰ ἀφανίζουσί τε οἱ κολοιοὶ καὶ διαφθείρουσι τὴν
ἐπιγονὴν αὐτοῖς. ᾿ μειοῦται δὴ κατὰ πολὺ τὰ τῶν
ἀκρίδων νέφη, καὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις μένει τὰ

a“ > “-
ὡραῖα ἀσινῆ.

18. AE γέρανοι γίνονται μὲν ἐν Θράκῃ, ἢ δὲ
χειμεριώτατον χωρίων ἐστὶ καὶ κρυμωδέστατον
ὧν ἀκούω. οὐκοῦν φιλοῦσι τὴν χώραν ἐν 4
γεγόνασι, φιλοῦσι δὲ καὶ ἑαυτάς, καὶ νέμουσι τὸ
μέν τι τοῖς ἤθεσι τοῖς πατρῴοις, τὸ δέ τι τῇ
σφῶν αὐτῶν σωτηρίᾳ. τοῦ μὲν γὰρ θέρους κατὰ
χώραν μένουσι, φθινοπώρου δὲ ἤδη μεσοῦντος ἐς
Αἴγυπτόν τε καὶ Λιβύην ἀπαίρουσι καὶ Αἰθιοπίαν,
ὥσπερ οὖν γῆς περίοδον εἰδυῖαι καὶ φύσεις ἀέρων

Ἁ e ~ M4 Ἁ ~ 2 4 .
καὶ ὡρῶν διαφοράς. Kal χειμῶνα ἡρινὸν διαγα-

“ 7 - ς 7 Eda \ 3
γοῦσαι, πάλιν ὅταν ὑπεύδια ἄρξηται καὶ εἰρηναῖα
τὰ τοῦ ἀέρος, ὑποστρέφουσιν ὀπίσω. ποιοῦνται
δὲ ἡγεμόνας τῆς πτήσεως τὰς ἤδη τῆς ὁδοῦ
πεπειραμένας- εἶεν δ᾽ ἂν ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς at πρεσβύτε-
ραι. καὶ οὐραγεῖν δὲ τὰς τηλικαύτας ἀποκρίνουσι:"
μέσαι δὲ αὐτῶν αἱ νέαι τετάχαται. φυλάξασαι

δὲ ἄνεμον οὖρον καὶ φίλον σφίσι καὶ κατόπιν

ῥέοντα, χρώμεναί οἱ πομπῷ καὶ ἐπωθοῦντι ἐς τὸ

3 Ἁ “~
πρόσω, εἶτα μέντοι τρίγωνον ὀξυγώνιον τὸ σχῆμα
168 |

SREY Ie SUCRE SEPIA ET NS TLE BRU S ΣΝ SLO NEENAH EISELE AAA LATE ΝΥΝ

ON ANIMALS, III. 11-13

service and remains motionless. So the bird gets a

feast of leeches, while the Crocodile is benefited and

reckons the fact that it has not injured it as the bird’s —

fee.

12. The inhabitants of Thessaly, of Illyria, and of
Lemnos regard Jackdaws as benefactors and have
decreed that they be fed at the public expense, see-
ing that Jackdaws make away with the eggs and
destroy the young of the locusts which ruin the crops

The
Jackdaw
and Locusts

of the aforesaid people. The clouds of locusts are —

in fact considerably reduced and the season’s produce
of these people remains undamaged.

13. Cranes have their birthplace in Thrace, which

Cranes and

is the most wintry and the coldest region that I know mipraulolia

of. Well, they love the country of their birth, but
they love themselves too; so they devote part of

their time to their ancestral haunts and part to

their own preservation. In summer they remain
in their country, but in mid-autumn they leave for
Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia, appearing to know the
map of the earth, the disposition of the winds, and
the variations of the seasons. And after spend-

ing a winter like spring, when again conditions.

are becoming tolerably settled and the sky is calm,

they return. To lead their flight they appoint those .

that have already had experience of the journey;

these would naturally be the older birds, and they

select others of the same age to bring up the rear,

while the young ones are ranged in their midst.

Having waited for a fair and favouring wind from

es
1 ἐψηφίσαντο aide αἱ πόλεις. 3. Reiske: ἐλυμαίνοντο.

169

SARS BONES NOELLE PSS PED 0 SET SIE CSO SITE A ID en sc sete

SrtesER:

AELIAN

τῆς πτήσεως ἀποφήνασαι, iva. ἐμπίπτουσαι τῷ
ἀέρι διακόπτωσιν αὐτὸν ῥᾷοτα, τῆς πορείας
ἔχονται. οὕτω μὲν δὴ θερίζουσί τε καὶ χειμάξζουσι
γέρανοι: σοφίαν δὲ ἥγηνται ἄνθρωποι. θαυμαστὴν
τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως ἐς ἐπιστήμην ἀέρων
κράσεως, Σοῦσα καὶ ᾿ἘἰΚβάτανα ἄδοντες καὶ τὰς
δεῦρο καὶ ἐκεῖσε τοῦ Πέρσου τεθρυλημένας μετα-
βάσεις. ὅταν δὲ προσφερόμενον ἀετὸν αἱ γέρανοι
θεάσωνται, γενόμεναι κυκλόσε 3 καὶ κολπωσάμε-
ναι ᾿ ἀπειλοῦσιν ὡς ἀντιταξόμεναι" ὁ δὲ 4 κρούεται
τὸ πτερόν. ἀλλήλων δὲ τοῖς “πυγαίοις ἐπερείδουσαι
τὰ ῥάμφη, εἶτα μέντοι. τρόπον τινὰ τὴν πτῆσιν

: |
συνδέουσι, καὶ TOV. κάματόν σφισιν εὐκάματον

ἀποφαίνουσι, πεφεισμένως aoa cae ἐς ἀλ-
λήλας αἱ αὐταί. ἐν δὲ γῇ μηκίστῃ . > πηγῆς
ὅταν τύχωσιν, ἀναπαύονται νύκτωρ ὃ καὶ καθεύ-
δουσι, τρεῖς δὲ ἢ τέτταρες προφυλάττουσι τῶν
λοιπῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ κατακοιμίσαι τὴν φυλακὴν
ἑστᾶσι μὲν ἀσκωλιάξουσαι, τῷ γε μὴν μετεώρῳ
ποδὶ λίθον κατέχουσι τοῖς ὄνυξι μάλα ἐγκρατῶς τε
καὶ εὐλαβῶς, ἵνα ἐάν ποτε "λάθωσιν ἑαυτὰς ἐς
ὕπνον ὑπολισθάνουσαι, πεσὼν καὶ ὑποκτυπήσας ὁ
λίθος ,ἀποδαρθάνειν καταναγκάσῃ. γέρανος δὲ
λίθον ὅνπερ οὖν καταπίνει ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔχειν ἕρμα,

,ὔ Α

χρυσοῦ βάσανός ἐστιν, ὅταν οἷον ὁρμισαμένη καὶ

’
ὠὰ τὰ 8 εἶτα μέντοι ἀνεμέσῃ αὐτόν.

1 χρήσεως.
2 Lobeck: κύκλος.

ἡ κολπωσάμενοι μηνοειδὲς. τὸ μέσον ἀποφήνασαι.
ὃ δὲ ἀναχωρεῖ καί.
5 Lacuna.
8 νύκτωρ at λοιπαί.
7 ἕρμα πετομένη.
170

ON ANIMALS, III. 13

behind, and using it as an escort to speed them for-

ward, they then form their order of flight into an
| acute-angled triangle, in order that as they encounter

the air they may cleave it with the least difficulty,

and so hold on their way. This then is how Cranes

spend their summer and winter. (But mankind
regards. as marvellous the Persian king’s compre-
hension of temperature, and harps on Susa and
Ecbatana 5 and the repeated stories of the Persian’s
journeyings to and fro.) When however the Cranes
observe an eagle bearing down upon them, they form
a circle and in a bellying mass threaten him with

attack; and he retires. Resting their bills upon
‘each other’ s tail-feathers they form in a sense a con-

tinuous chain of flight, and sweeten their labour ὃ
as they repose gently one upon another. And in
some distant land . . . when they light upon some
water-spring they rest for the night and sleep, while
three or four mount guard for all the others; and in
order to avoid falling asleep during their watch they
stand on one leg, but with the other held up they
clutch a stone firmly and securely in their claws.
Their object is that, if they should inadvertently drop
off to sleep, the stone should fall and wake them
with the sound.

Now the stone which a Crane swallows to give itself

ballast is a touchstone for gold when regurgitated by

the Crane after it has, SO to Say; come to anchor and
reached land.

4 Identified with the modern Hamadan; ; it lay at the foot
of mt Orontes, some 200 miles N of Susa, and was a summer
residence of the Achaemenid kings.

> Eur. Bacc. 66 κάματον εὐκάματον.

8. καταχθεῖσα ἔνθα ἥκει.

171

AELIAN

14, Κυβερνήτης ἰδὼν ἐ ἐν πελάγει μέσῳ γεράνους

ὑποστρεφούσας καὶ τὴν ἔμπαλιν πετομένας, συνεῖ-

δὲν ἐναντίου “προσβολῇ πνεύματος ἐκείνας ἀποοτῆ-

ναι τοῦ πρόσω" καὶ τῶν ὀρνέων. ὡς ἂν εἴποις
μαθητὴς γενόμενος παλίμπλους ἦλθε, καὶ τὴν
ναῦν περιέσωσε.. καὶ τοῦτο πρῶτον γενόμενον
μάθημά τε ὁμοῦ καὶ παίδευμα (ὑπὸ τῶνδε
<r@v>* ὀρνίθων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρεδόθη.

15. Περιστεραὶ ἐν μὲν ταῖς πόλεσι τοῖς ἀνθρώ-
ποις συναγελάζονται, Kat εἰσι πραόταται, καὶ
εἰλοῦνται περὶ τοῖς ποσίν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐρήμοις
χωρίοις ἀποδιδράσκουσι, καὶ τοὺς. ἀνθρώπους οὐχ
ὑπομένουσι. θαρροῦσι μὲν γὰρ τοῖς πλήθεσι, καὶ
ὅτι μηδὲν πείσονται δυσχερὲς ἴσασι κάλλιστα.
7 4 3 ~ \ fd i 3 ‘
ὅπου δὲ ὀρνιθοθῆραι καὶ δίκτυα Kat ἐπιβουλαὶ

> -θ 3 > ~~ 3 7
κατ᾽ αὐτῶν, ἄτρεστα οἰκοῦσιν οὐκέτι, ἵνα, εἴπω τὸ

ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων λεχθὲν Εὐριπίδῃ.

16. Ὅταν μέλλωσι πέρδικες πρὸς τῷ τίκτειν
᾿ εἶναι, παρασκευάζουσιν ἑαυτοῖς ἔκ τινων καρφῶν
τὴν καλουμένην ἅλω. πλέγμα. δέ ἐστι κοῖλον καὶ
ἐγκαθίσαι μάλα ἐπιτήδειον. καὶ κόνιν ἐγχέαντες,
καὶ μαλακήν τινα οἱονεὶ κοίτην ἐργασάμενοι, καὶ
ἐνδύντες, εἶτα ἐπηλυγάσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ἄνωθεν
κάρφεσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ τοὺς ὄρνιθας λαθεῖν τοὺς
ἁρπακτικοὺς καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοὺς θηρευτάς,
κατὰ πολλὴν τὴν εἰρήνην ἀποτίκτουσιν εἶτα τὰ
@a οὐ πιστεύουσι τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέρᾳ,

1 (ὑπό add. H.

-3 Reiske: κατακλίνουσιν.

172

2 <r@v> add. Reiske.

Bp. Ξ
EPEC REELS LEE AIS L LPL SDA EE OLE MITES PSEA IODA ITLE LO NESIEOL LIED ECE LEN YL LETT νον μεμα ΟΣ

ON ANIMALS, III. 14-16

have refrained from advancing further owing to the
assault of a contrary wind. And taught, as you
might say, by the birds he sails home again and
preserves his vessel. So the pilot's art, being a
lesson and a discipline first acquired by these birds,
has: been handed on to mankind.

14. If a pilot observes on the high seas a flock of Cranes give
_ Cranes turning and flying back, he realises that they s

warning of
torms

15. In cities Pigeons congregate with human The Pigeon

beings ; ; they are extremely tame and swarm about
one’s feet; but in lonely places they flee away and
cannot endure human beings. For it is crowds that
give them courage, and they are well aware that they
will be unmolested. Where however there are bird-
catchers, nets, and schemes to take them, ‘ they
dwell’ no more ‘ without fear,’ to quote what
Euripides says [Jon 1198] of those same birds.

16. When Partridges are about to lay they make The

Partridge

themselves what is called a ‘ threshing-floor ’
nest) out of dry twigs. Itis plaited, hollow, and well-
suited for sitting in. They pour in dust and con-
struct as it were a soft bed; they enter and after
screening themselves over with dry twigs so as to
avoid being seen by birds of prey and by human
hunters, they lay their eggs in complete tranquillity.
Next, they do not entrust their eggs to the same place
but to some other, emigrating ὦ as it were, because
@ Cp. Arist. HA 613 b 15.
173

(2. @, and its nest

AELIAN

e Ἀ 4 1 ὃ ὃ 7 A) 2 7
οἱονεὶ μετοικιζόμενοι 1: δεδοίκασι yap? μή ποτε
ἄρα φωραθῶσιν. νεοττεύοντες δὲ 8 τοὺς νεοττοὺς

3» , 4 nw 2 -
ὄντας ἁπαλοὺς ὑποθάλπουσι καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν.

“ Α -
πτεροῖς ἀλεαΐνουσιν, οἱονεὶ σπαργάνοις τοῖς πτίλοις
περιαμπέχοντες: οὐ λούουσι δὲ αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ

f 3 4 7 34 \ 7
κονίοντες ἐργάζονται φαιδροτέρους. ἐὰν δὲ πέρδιξ
ἴδῃ τινὰ προσιόντα καὶ ἐπιβουλεύοντα καὶ αὐτῷ
καὶ τοῖς βρέφεσιν, ἐνταῦθα αὐτὸς μὲν ἑαυτὸν πρὸ
τῶν ποδῶν κυλίει τῶν τοῦ θηρατοῦ, καὶ ἐνδίδωσιν
3 f ~ 4 “ 3 2 + ¢
ἐλπίδα τοῦ δύνασθαι συλλαβεῖν εἰλούμενον. καὶ ὃ
μὲν ἐπικύπτει ἐς τὴν ἄγραν, ὃ δὲ ἐξελίττει

, ’ - ῳ
ἑαυτόν: καὶ διαδιδράσκει καὶ γίνεται πρὸ ὅδοῦ

4 4 4 4 x ? e _ ἢ ὃ
«τὰ βρέφη». ὅπερ οὖν συννοήσας 6 πέρδιξ,
θαρρῶν ἤδη τῆς ἀσχολίας τῆς ματαίας ἀπαλλάττει
τὸν ὀρνιθοθήραν ἀναπτάς, καὶ ἐᾷ ὅ τὸν ἄνδρα
κεχηνότα. εἶτα ἐν ἀδείᾳ ἡ μήτηρ γενομένη καὶ
>. - “Ὅ Ἁ / ay ε \ 7 oA
ev καλῷ στᾶσα τὰ βρέφη καλεῖ. of δὲ αὐτῇ
προσπέτονται γνωρίσαντες τὸ φώνημα. πέρδιξ δὲ

“ 3 fad “a -
ὠδῖνα ἀπολύειν μέλλων πειρᾶται λαθεῖν τὸν σύν-
νομον, ἵνα μὴ τὰ φὰ συντρίψῃ: λάγνος γὰρ ὧν
οὐκ ἐᾷ τῇ παιδοτροφίᾳ σχολάζειν τὴν μητέρα.
οὕτω δέ ἐστιν ἀκόλαστον τὸ τῶν περδίκων γένος.
ὅταν αὐτοὺς ἀπολιποῦσαι εἶτα ἐπῳάζωσιν αἱ

7 ε \ > ἡ > 3 A 3 7 > 4
θήλειαι, ot δὲ ἐπίτηδες ἐς ὀργὴν ἀλλήλους ἐξά-

‘
πτουσι, καὶ παίουσί τε καὶ παίονται πικρότατα"

, Φ Ὁ θ ‘ ? 7 .»Ἁ 8 ᾿ ὃ a

Kat ὁ ye ἡττηθείς ὀχεύεται [ws ὄρνις], Kai δρᾷ

“΄ζ 3 ὃ ¢ 7 ἡ 9. Ἂ -ς Jo € F
τοῦτο ἀνέδην <o κρατήσας», ἔστ᾽ ἂν ὑφ᾽ ἑτέρου

καὶ αὐτὸς ἡττηθεὶς εἶτα ἐς τὰς ὁμοίας λαβὰς
ἐμπέσῃ. |
1

μετοικιζόμενοι ἐκεῖνά τε ἐπάγονται.
2

yap ev ταὐτῷ διατρίβοντες.
‘ Fe 8
3 δὲ ἐν χὥροις ἑτέροις ἀπαίροντές τε αὖ.

114

ΠΑΝ esses aincwitn/annisatvestetisireenweser sv λον ρυνοουσνμνισσττιαρυλυμυννυνυυνυνουσοσυγφυνυγοτοούνε BLAIS AAAS eMR NAN URORb i sspoant tele EARAULEsbsisdOe Spas thd SEU esd TR PEELS SHCA

ON ANIMALS, III. 16

they are afraid that they may perhaps be detected.
And when they hatch their young they impart heat to
them, being callow, and warm them with their wings,
enveloping them in their feathers, as it might be
swaddling-clothes. They do not however wash them,
but render them more sleek by putting dust on them.

If a Partridge sees someone approaching with evil and its

intent against itself and its young, it thereupon rolls
about in front of the hunter’s feet and fills him with
the hope of seizing it as it moves this way and that.
And the man bends down to catch his prey, but it
eludes him. Meantime the young ones slip away and

et some distance ahead. So when the Partridge is
aware of this, it takes courage and releases the bird-
eatcher from his fruitless occupation by flying off,
leaving the man gaping. Then when the mother-
bird is secure and advantageously placed, she calls
her chicks, and they recognising her voice flutter
towards her.

young

The Partridge when about to lay her eggs en- The male

deavours to hide from her mate for fear that he may

crush them, because he is lustful and tries to prevent

the mother from devoting her time to rearing her
young. So incontinent a creature is the Partridge.
When the females leave the males and brood their
eggs, the male birds of set purpose provoke one
another to anger and deal and receive the most
violent blows; and the vanquished bird gets trodden,
the victor performing unsparingly, until he in his turn
is vanquished and is caught in like clutches.

; «τὰ βρέφη A ᾿ Η. 4 ~ 1 ν΄}

5 καὶ ἐᾷ] καὶ τοὺς νεοττοὺς καταλαβῶν καὶ ἐάσας.
6 [ὡς ὄρνις ‘ verba suspecta,’ Η.

7 <6 κρατήσας» add. Jac.

175

AELIAN

7. Λέγει μὲν οὖν Εὐριπίδης δυσώνυμον τὸν 1
φθόνον" οὗτος δὲ ἄρα ἐνοικεῖ καὶ τῶν ζῴων ἔστιν
οἷς. ὁ γοῦν γαλεώτης, ὥς φησι Θεόφραστος, ὅταν
ἀποδύσηται ᾿ τὸ γῆρας, ἐπιστραφεὶς εἶτα μέντοι
καταπιὼν ἀφανίζει αὐτό' δοκεῖ δὲ ἐπιλήψεως
εἶναι τὸ γῆρας τὸ τοῦδε τοῦ ζῴου ἀντίπαλον.
οἶδε δὲ καὶ ἔλαφος τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας ἔχων ἐς πολλὰ
ἀγαθόν, καὶ μέντοι «καὶ» κατορύττει τε αὐτὸ καὶ
ἀποκρύπτει φθόνῳ τοῦ τοσούτων 8 τινα ἀπολαῦσαι.
ἴυγγας δὲ ἐρωτικὰς τῷ πώλῳ συντίκτουσα ἵππος
οἶδε: ταῦτά τοι καὶ ἅμα τῷ τεχθῆναι τὸ βρέφος
ἡ δὲ τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ μετώπῳ σαρκίον ἀπέτραγεν.

¢ 7. Ba ~
ὑππόμανες ἄνθρωποι καλοῦσιν αὐτό. καὶ ot γόητες

τὰ τοιαῦτά φασιν ὁρμάς τινας ἑλκτικὰς ἐς μίξιν
ἀκατάσχετον καὶ οἶστρον ἀφροδίσιον παρέχειν καὶ
ἐξάπτειν. : οὔκουν τὴν ἵππον ἐθέλειν ἀνθρώπους
μεταλαγχάνειν τοῦ γοητεύματος τοῦδε, ὥσπερ οὖν
ἀγαθοῦ μεγίστου φθονοῦσαν. οὐ γάρ;

3 ~ 3 ~ f ? A
Ἐν τῇ Ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάττῃ * ἰχθὺν Λεωνίδης
of υξάντιος γίνεσθαί φησι, κωβιοῦ τοῦ τελείου
μείονα οὐδὲ ev: ἔχειν δὲ οὔτε ὃ ὀῤθαλμοὺς αὐτὸν
οὔτ ' > 7 , ~ “~ > ¢
᾿ ε το μα ἐν νόμῳ τῷ τῶν ἰχθύων. προσπέ-
wie δέ οἱ βράγχια καὶ σχῆμα κεφαλῆς, ὡς
εἰκάσαι, οὐ μὴν ἐκμεμόρφωται εἶδος: κάτω δὲ
΄ Ὰ 3. “κ᾿ 3 ,
ΠῚ τ τῇ γαστρὶ αὐτῷ ἐντέθλασται τύπος
“- τ ‘ ‘
κολπώδης ἡσυχῆ, καὶ ἐκπέμπει σμαράγδου χρόαν.
ω

τοῦτον οὖν εἶναι καὶ ὀφθαλμόν οἵ φησι καὶ στόμα.

1 ὄντα τόν. |

2 <xai> add. H.

Jac: τοσούτου.

* θαλάττῃ κόλπῳ δὲ τῷ ᾿Δραβίῳ.

176

i
i
Ϊ
ὶ
i
i
ἢ
ἷ

ON ANIMALS, III. 17-28

aceursed thing.
animals in which this quality resides. For instance,

the Gecko, according to Theophrastus[ fr. 175], when

it has sloughed its skin, turns and makes away with

it by swallowing it. It seems that the slough of this

creature is a remedy for epilepsy. And the Deer

too, knowing that its right horn serves many pur-.
poses, goes so far as to bury it and secrete it out of
jealousy lest anyone should benefit thereby. The

Mare also knows that with the birth of a foal she is
producing love-spells; and that is why the moment
the foal is born, the Mare bites off the piece of flesh
onits forehead. Mencallit‘ mare’s-frenzy.’* And
wizards maintain that such things produce and excite
impulses to unrestrained sexual intercourse and a
lecherous passion. So the Mare does not wish men
to have any of this spell, as though she grudged them
a boon beyond compare. And is it not so?

18. Leonidas of Byzantium asserts that there The
oecurs in the Red Sea a fish® of exactly the same ash

size as a full-grown goby: it has neither eyes nor
mouth after the manner of fishes, but grows gills and
a kind of head, so far as one can guess, though its
form is not perfectly developed. But lower down
beneath its stomach is a slightly indented depression
which emits the colour of an emerald; and this, they -
say, is both its eye and its mouth. But anyone who

α See 14. 18.
> Probably the Tetrodon or Globe-fish.

ge A ------

5 Schn: γενέσθαι. οὐδέ.

17. Euripides says [fr. 403 N] that jealousy is an Jealousy
ἦν seems that there are certain Dive”

AELIAN

2 4 3 “-Ἐ 4 ray ~ ~ “~
ὅστις δὲ αὐτοῦ γεύεται, σὺν TH κακῷ TH ἑαυτοῦ

ἐθήρασεν αὐτόν. καὶ τῆς διαφθορᾶς 6 τρόπος, 6
γευσάμενος ᾧδησεν, εἶτα ἡ γαστὴρ κατέρραξε, καὶ
6 ἄνθρωπος ἀπόλωλε. δίδωσι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἁλοὺς
δίκας. πρῶτον μὲν ἔξω τοῦ κύματος γενόμενος
οἰδαίνει, καὶ εἴ τις αὐτοῦ ψαύσειεν,2 6 δὲ ἔτι καὶ
μᾶλλον πίμπραται. καὶ εἴ τις ἐπιμείνειε ψαλάτ-
των, γίνεται πᾶς ὑπὸ σήψεως διαυγέστατος, ὡς

ξ “" εν ~
ὑδεριῶν: εἶτα τελευτῶν διερράγη. εἰ δὲ αὐτὸν.

2 7 4 ~
ἐθέλοι τις ἔτι ζῶντα ἐς τὴν θάλατταν μεθεῖναι, 6
7 ὔ -

δὲ ἐπινήχεται δίκην κύστεως ἀρθείσης πνεύματι.
- ov > o 5

καί φησιν ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πάθους φύσαλον ἐκάλουν
3

αὕτον.

? , ᾿
, 19. Φώκη δέ, ὡς ἀκούω, τὴν πυετίαν τὴν
΄-΄» > - ¢ 4 ~ Sp -
ἑαυτῆς ἐξεμεῖ," ἵνα μὴ τοῖς ἐπιλήπτοις ἢ ἰᾶσθαι.
»“-ΣΟ ξ
βάσκανον δὴ τὸ ζῷον ἡ φώκη, ναὶ μὰ τόν.

20. Οἱ πελεκᾶνες <ot» ἐν τοῖς ποταμοῖς {τὰς
κόγχας περιχαίνοντες εἶτα καταπίνουσιν, ἔνδον
δὲ καὶ ἐν (τῷ) μυχῷ τῆς γαστρὸς ὑποθαλ-
ψαντες ἀνεμοῦσι, καὶ τὰ μὲν ὀστράκια ἐκ τῆς
ἀλέας διέστη, ὥσπερ οὖν <Ta>® τῶν ἐφθῶν, οἱ δὲ
ἐξορύττουσι τὰ κρέα, καὶ ἔχουσι δεῖπνον. καὶ
μέντοι καὶ οἱ λάροι, ὡς Εὔδημός φησι, τοὺς
κοχλίας μετεωρίζοντες καὶ ὑψοῦ αἴροντες ταῖς
πέτραις βιαιότατα προσαράττουσιν.

7 3
21. Λέγει Εὔδημος, ἐν Παγγαίῳ τῷ Θρᾳκίῳ
> ἢ ~ “ Ξ Ν ᾿
κοίτῃ λέοντος ἐρήμῳ φυλακῆς ἐπιστᾶσαν ἄρκτον
3 Ges: ἐκροφεῖ.

1 γεύσεται. 2 ψαύσοι.

178

ON ANIMALS, ΠῚ. 18-21

eats it has fished to his own undoing. And this is

how he is destroyed: the man who has eaten it

swells up; then his stomach bursts and he dies. But .
the fish itself when caught pays for it, for first, when

it is out of the water, it swells, and if one touches it,

it swells even more; while if one continues to handle

it, it turns to corruption and becomes quite trans-

lucent, like a man with dropsy, and finally bursts. If
however one is prepared to return it still alive to the

sea, it swims on the surface like an inflated bladder.

Leonidas says that in consequence of this property
men call it the ‘ inflater.’

19. The Seal, I am told, vomits up the curdled milk The Seal
from its stomach so that epileptics may not be cured
thereby. Upon my word the Seal is indeed a

malignant creature. |

20. Pelicans that live in rivers take in mussels and The Pelican
then swallow them, and when they have warmed
them deep within the recesses of their belly, they el
disgorge them. Now the mussels open under the
influence of the heat, just like the shells of things
when cooked, and the. Pelicans scoop out the flesh
and make a meal. So too Sea-mews, as Eudemus Ay
observes, lift snails into the air and carry them high eal
up and then dash them violently upon the rocks.

21. Eudemus records how on mount Pangaeus in A Bear and
: * > . . 7 two Lions
Thrace a Bear came upon a Lion’s lair which was

ὁ dof). . . {τάφο add, H; ep. Arist. HA 614 Ὁ 27.
5 ὁτῷν add. H.
8 ord) add. H.

| 179

AELIAN

4 4 ~ ? “-
(τοὺς » } σκύμνους τοῦ λέοντος διαφθεῖραι διὰ τὸ
i / : ~ ,
μικρούς τε εἶναι ἔτι καὶ aptvat odiow ἀδυνάτους.
ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀφίκοντο 5. Ex τινος ἄγρας ὅ τε πατὴρ καὶ

e Ζ ἃ > AY τὸ > “a “a
ἢ μήτηρ, Kat εἶδον τοὺς παῖδας ἐν ταῖς φοναῖς,

οἷα εἰκὸς ἤλγουν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄρκτον ἵεντο: ἡ δὲ
δείσασα εἴς τι δένδρον ἢ ποδῶν εἶχεν ἀνέθει, καὶ
καθῆστο τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνων ἐκκλῖναι
πειρωμένη. ὡς δὲ ἐδόκουν τοῦ τιμωρήσασθαι τὸν

~ ~ 3 ~ € \ f 3
υμεῶνα ἥκειν δεῦρο, ἐνταῦθα ἡ μὲν λέαινα οὐ.

λ ,ὔ 4 λ 7 LAA’ ¢ \ o 7 θῇ

εἶπει τὴν φυλακὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῷ πρέμνῳ καθῆστο
ἐλλοχῶσα καὶ ὕφαιμον ἄνω βλέπουσα, ὁ δὲ λέων,
οἷα ἀδημονῶν καὶ ἀλύων ὑπὸ τοῦ dyous,? ἐν τοῖς

¥ Iya \ > \ ¢ “ fd ¢
ὄρεσιν ἠλᾶτο, Kai ἀνδρὶ ὑλουργῷ περιτυγχάνει" 6 |

δὲ eo ‘ > / \ 7 A 4 ,ὔ ξ

€ ἔδεισε καὶ ἀφίησι τὸν πέλεκυν, τὸ δὲ θηρίον ὁ
᾽ὔ; .

λέων ἔσαινέ τε καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἀνατείνας ἠσπάζετο,

e? > \ κ᾿.

ὡς olos τε ἦν, καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ τὸ πρόσωπον
? , a “a

ἐφαίδρυνεν αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐκεῖνος ὑπεθάρρησεν, 6 τε
f « >

λέων περιβαλών ot τὴν οὐρὰν ἦγεν αὐτόν, καὶ
» / 4 4 ir > 3 LAAG > ἢ “~

ἀφέντα ὁ τὸν πέλεκυν οὐκ εἴα, ἀλλὰ ἐσήμαινε τῷ

4 3 2? . ~
moot ἀνελέσθαι. ὡς δὲ od συνίει, 6 δὲ τῷ στόματι
ἐλάβετο, καὶ ὥρεξέν ot, καὶ εἵπετο ἐκεῖνος, ἄγει
Ln > 3 δ ὅλ Σ ἡ λέ ¢-\5 5

τε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ αὔλιον. καὶ ἡ λέαινα (ὡς »" εἶδε,
‘ \ ra as

Kat αὐτὴ προσελθοῦσα ὑπέσαινεδ καὶ ἑώρα
> / \ > ἢ Ἁ

οἰκτρόν, καὶ ἀνέβλεπε πρὸς τὴν ἄρκτον. συνιδὼν
Log ¢ “᾿

οὖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ συμβαλὼν ἠδικῆσθαΐί τι τού-

3 3 ? © > Ξε re ~
Tous ἐξ ἐκείνης, ws εἶχε ῥώμης. τε Kal χειρῶν,

ἐξέκοψε τὸ δένδρον. καὶ τὸ μὲν ἀνετράπη, ἡ δὲ

κατηνέχθη" καὶ διεσπάσαντό ye” οἱ θῆρες αὐτήν.

1 τούς» add. Η. 2 ἀφίκετο.
3 ἄχους ὡς ἄνθρωπος εἶτα.
4 ἀφιέντα.

5 <ds> add. H.
180

ON ANIMALS, IIL. 21

unguarded and slew the Lion’s cubs, they being small
and unable to protect themselves. But when the -
father and mother returned from hunting somewhere

“and. saw their young ones slaughtered, they were

naturally filled with grief, and set upon the Bear.
She in terror ran up a tree as fast as her legs could
carry her and sat there trying to escape their fell de-
sion. But as they came there with the intention of
wreaking vengeance upon the murderer, the Lioness
did not relax her watch but sat down beneath the
tree-trunk, lying in wait and gazing upward with a
look that meant blood. Meantime the Lion in
anguish and distraught with grief roamed the moun-
tains and came upon a woodcutter. The man was
terrified and dropped his axe, but the animal fawned
upon him and reaching upwards greeted him as well
as it could, stroking his face withits tongue. And the
man took courage, while the Lion, wrapping its tail
around him, led him on and would not permit him to

‘leave the axe but signified with its paw that he was

ick it up. But since the man failed to under-
oa. the Lion took it in its mouth and offered it to
him; the man followed and the Lion led him to the
lair. As soon as the Lioness saw him she too came
up and began to fawn upon him with a piteous
expression as she looked up at the Bear. So the man
grasped their meaning and guessing that they had
been somehow injured by the Bear, began to fell the
tree with all the strength of his hands. And the tree
was overturned and the Bear brought down and the
Lions tore her to pieces. As for the man, the Lion

6 Reiske: ἐπεσήμαινεν MSS, ὑπέσηνε Jac.
7 σε,
181

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, III. 21-23

brought him back untouched and unscathed to the
spot where it first met him and restored him to his
original task of cutting wood.

4 4 1 ¥ ¢ 7
τ δὲ ; ἄνθρωπον ὁ λέων ἀπαθῆ τε καὶ ἀσινῆ
3 4 ~ :
πάλιν ἐπανήγαγεν ἐς τὸν χῶρον, οὗ πρότερον
ἐνέτυχεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπέδ ἢ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ "
χ D, καὶ ἀπέδωκε τῇ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑλοτομίᾳ.
4

99. A battle between two animals of Egypt, the Ichneumon

2 ? ? :
22. Αἰγυπτίων μάχη θηρίων ἀσπίδος καὶ iyved-
\ 3 4 : ΧΡ =

2 4 ¢
ee καὶ ὁ μὲν ἰχνεύμων οὐκ ἀβούλως οὐδὲ
~ 3 “
ἐκπὶ die ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀφικνεῖται τὸν πρὸς τὸν
> ἃ
ἀντίπαλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἀνὴρ πανοπλίᾳ φραξάμενος,

Ὁ 3 “"
o~ “~ 3
οὕτως ἐκεῖνος τῷ πηλῷ ἐγκυλίσας ὃ ἑαυτὸν καὶ.

5 a
“-οΟ /
she τοῦ περιπαγέντος ἔοικεν. ἔχειν ἀρκοῦν
πρόβ μα καὶ στεγανόν. εἰ δὲ ἀπορία εἴη πηλοῦ
tf
λούσας ἑαυτὸν ὕδατι καὶ ἐς ἄμμον βαθεῖαν ὑ by
ἔτι ἐμβαλών, ἐκ τῆσδε τῆς ἐπινοίας TO 4 Ἂ
ἜΝ Εν » ἐκ τῆσδε τῆς ἐπινοίας τὸ ἀμυντήριον
ἀπόρων σπάσας, ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην ἔρχεται. τῆ
τε ῥινὸς τὸ ἄκ ἱπαλὸν ὃν καὶ ἃ ἐγχρίσει τ' ἧς
re pt pov amadov ov Kat” ἐγχρίσει TH TH
ἀσπίδος τρόπον χὰ ἐκκεί eee
etka ae τινὰ ἐκκείμενον φρουρεῖ τὴν
ὑρὰν ὃ ἀνακλάσας καὶ ἁ ΐ ᾿ αὐτῆς αὐ
ΠΟΤ. Θπν ἐλαμαθιι ποφράξας δὲ αὐτῆς αὐτό.
ἱ Le ἢ ἀσπίς τούτου τύχῃ, τὸν ἀνταγωνι-
στὴν ᾿ A, μά
ἀν , καθεῖλεν: εἰ δὲ μή, μάτην τοὺς ὀδόντας τῷ
, 2 @ πονεῖται, πάλιν τε ὃ ἰχνεύμων mpocepricas
ἀδοκήτω y ἦ ὅμε;
: ἐμὰ καὶ τοῦ τραχήλου λαβόμενος ἀπέπνιξε
τὴν ἀσπίδα. νικᾷ δὲ 6 πρῶτος φθάσας.

23. Τρέφειν μὲν τοὺ 7 ἐλ
᾿ pew μὲν τοὺς πατέρας πελαργοὶ γεγηρα-
κότας καὶ ἐθέλο ἱ ἐμελέτησα a Sg
ras καὶ ουσι καὶ ἐμελέτησαν: κελεύει δὲ
αὐτοὺς νόμος ἀνθ : HOE εἶ ,
abr Op ρωπικὸς οὐδὲ εἷς τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ
aitia τούτων φύσις. οἱ αὐτοὶ δὲ καὶ τὰ ;
α ous.‘ Ol αὐτοὶ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν
ἔκγονα φιλοῦσι" ὶ τὸϑ μαρτύ
Καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον, ὅταν 6
1 γε. ΝΙΝ
* The sentence is ἢ is
: neomplete : μά ἰχνεύμον
Paes sri μὸν siege BAXNKYD 1a « ixvedpovos (ἄξιον
8. Schn: κυλίσας. ΝΙΝ ᾿ ΙΝ

182

mn ean nt nei EAL ROARS ARRAY EMA λ τ τ Ἀρερψνσ ταν νι RPO RETR FET CEA IAAP A RAR NNN TN

Asp and the Ichneumon. . . . The Ichneumon does ™
not attack his adversary without deliberation or
rashly, but like a man fortifying himself with all his’
weapons, rolls in the mud and covers himself with a
hard coating, thereby obtaining, it seems, an ade-
quate and impenetrable defence. But if he is at a
loss for mud, he washes himself in water and plunges
still wet into deep sand—a device which secures his
protection in difficult circumstances—and. goes forth
+o battle. But the tip of his nose, which is sensitive
and somewhat exposed to the bite of the Asp, he pro-.
tects by bending back his tail, thereby blocking the
approach to it. If however the Asp can reach it, the
snake kills its adversary; otherwise it plies its fangs
against the mud in vain, while the Ichneumon on the
other hand makes a sudden dash, seizes the Asp by
the neck, and strangles it. And the victory goes to
the one that gets in first. ,

93. When their parents have grown old, Storks tend The Stork

them voluntarily and with studied care;. yet there is
no law of man that bids them do so; the cause of
their actions is Nature. And the same birds love their
offspring too. Here is the proof: when the full-

4 ἁπαλὸν ὃν καί del. H.

5 οὐρὰν ὑποκάμψας μᾶλλον καί.

6 αὐτὸ οὕτως γὰρ ποιεῖν εἴωθεν.

7 φύσις ἀγαθή. 8 χούτου.

183

AELIAN

τέλειος ἐνδεὴς 7 τροφῆς ἀπτῆσιν ἔτι καὶ ἁπαλοῖς
τοῖς νεοττοῖς ἐν τῇ καλιᾷ παραθεῖναι, γενομένης
αὐτῷ κατὰ τύχην ἀπορίας, ὁ δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ
χθιζὴν “ἀνεμέσας ἐκείνους τρέφει. καὶ τοὺς ἐρῳ-
διοὺς ἀκούω ποιεῖν ταὐτόν, καὶ τοὺς πελεκᾶνας
μέντοι. προσακούω δὲ τοὺς πελαργοὺς καὶ αὐτοὺς 1
συμφεύγειν ταῖς γεράνοις καὶ συναποδιδράσκειν
τὸν χειμῶνα" τῆς ὥρας δὲ τῆς κρυμώδους διελθού-

@ ¢ ? 2
ons, oTav ὑποστρέψωσιν * ἐς τὰ ἴδια καὶ ofSe καὶ.

aide, τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστος καλιὰν ἀναγνωρίξζουσιν
ὡς τὴν οἰκίαν ἄνθρωποι. ᾿Αλέξανδρος δὲ ὅ
Μύνδιός φησιν," ὅταν ἐς γῆρας ἀφίκωνται, παρελ-
θόντας αὐτοὺς ἐς ὃ τὰς ᾿Ωκεανίτιδας νήσους
ἀμείβειν τὰ εἴδη ἐς ἀνθρώπου μορφήν, καὶ
εὐσεβείας γε τῆς ἐς τοὺς γειναμένους ἄθλον τοῦτο
ἰσχειν, ἄλλως τε, (εἴ τι) ἐγὼ νοῶ, καὶ ὑποθέσθαι
τῶν θεῶν βουλομένων τοῦτο γοῦν τῶν ἀνθρώπων
τῶν ἐκεῖθι τὸ γένος εὐσεβὲς καὶ ὅσιον, ἐπεὶ
<oby>? οἷόν τε ἣν ἐν τῇ ἄλλῃ τῇ ὑφ᾽ ἡλίω 8 τὸ a
ig € 7) ἢ ἀλλῃ τῇ ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ 8 τοιοῦτον
διαβιοῦν. καὶ οὔ μοι δοκεῖ μῦθος εἶναι. ἢ τί καὶ
βουλόμενος ὁ ᾿Αλέξανδρος τοῦτο ἂν ἐτερατεύσατο
κερδαίνων μηδὲ ἕν; ἄλλως τε οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἔπρεπεν
ἀνδρὶ συνετῷ πρὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ποιήσασθαι τὸ
Seater ἐπὶ κέρδει τῷ μεγίστῳ, μή τι γοῦν
“πὰ
ἊΝ ᾿ τῶν ἐμάν εν τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων

€ ‘

, 24. H χελιδὼν ὅτε ὃ εὐποροίη πηλοῦ, τοῖς
ὄνυξι, φέρει καὶ 'συμπλάτέει τὴν καλιάν: εἰ δὲ
/
ἀπορία εἴη, ὡς “ApiororéAns λέγει, ἑαυτὴν βρέχει,

Ἰ ? nn
αὐτοῖς, 8 ὑποστρέφωσιν.

184

ON ANIMALS, III. 23-24

grown bird is in want of food to give to its still un

fledged and tender chicks, some accident having
occasioned a shortage, the Stork disgorges its food of
yesterday and feeds its young. And I am told that

‘Herons do the same, and Pelicans also.

I learn further that Storks migrate along with its migre-

Cranes and all together avoid the winter. But when ἌΘΩΝ
the season of frost is over and both Storks and Cranes
return to their own homes, each kind recognises its

own nests, as men do their own houses. 7 |

Alexander of Myndus asserts that when they reach transformed

old age they pass to the islands of Ocean and are ee
transformed into human shape, and that this is a re- me
ward for their filial piety towards their parents, since,

if I am not mistaken, the gods especially desire to

hold up there if nowhere else a human model of piety

and uprightness, for in no other country under the

sun could such a race continue to exist. This is in

my opinion no fairy-tale, otherwise what was Alexan-

der’s design in relating such marvels when he had

nothing to gain from it? Anyhow it would have ill

become an intelligent man to sacrifice truth to false-

hood, be the gain never so great, still less if he was

going to fall into an opponent’s grasp, from which

act nothing whatsoever was to be gained.

94. Whenever there is plenty of mud the Swallow The Swallow

brings it in her claws and builds her nest. ifhow ΤΣ
ever mud is lacking, as Aristotle says [HA 612 b 23],

ih wer

3 φησιν, τῶν πελαργῶν τοὺς ἅμα βιώσαντας.
δ SY

4 περιελθόντας. ws.
ὃ et re> add. H. Ἰ <ody> add. Ges.
8 Jac: ὑφηλίῳ. . 9. Ges: ὅταν.

185

"
it

.AELIAN

καὶ és κόνιν ἐμπεσοῦσα 1 φύρει τὰ πτερά, καὶ τοῦ
πηλοῦ: περιπαγέντος, ἐντεῦθεν ὑπαποψήχουσα τῷ
ῥάμφει τὴν προκειμένην οἰκοδομίαν. χειρουργεῖ.
ἁπαλά τε ὄντα τὰ νεόττια καὶ τῶν πτίλων γυμνὰ
οἷδε καλῶς ἐπὶ ψιλῶν καρφῶν εἰ ἀναπαύουτο ὅτι
κολασθήσεται ἀλγοῦντα. οὐκοῦν ἐπὶ τὰ νῶτα τῶν
προβάτων ἱζάνει, καὶ ἀποσπᾷ τοῦ μαλλοῦ, καὶ
ἐντεῦθεν τοῖς ἑαυτῆς βρέφεσι τὸ λέχος μαλακὸν
ἔστρωσεν.

25. Δικαίους ἡ μήτηρ ἡ χελιδὼν τοὺς ἑαυτῆς
νεοττοὺς ἐργάζεται, τὸ ἰσότιμον αὐτοῖς διὰ τῆς
τροφῆς τῆς ἴσης φυλάττουσα: μίαν δὲ ἄρα οὐ

᾽ “Ὁ 3 A 4 3 Α %
κομίζει πᾶσιν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ δύναται: ἀλλὰ μικρὰ

3 Ὁ “-
μὲν καὶ ὀλίγα ἐστὶν ὅσα ἄγει, τὸν πρῶτον δὲ

; , ~ 4 7 \ A 353. 3
τεχθέντα πρῶτον τρέφει, δεύτερον δὲ τὸν ἐπ
ἐκείνῳ, καὶ τρίτον σιτίζει τὸν τῆς τρίτης ὠδῖνος,
“-ο ,ὔ . “~
καὶ μέχρι τοῦ πέμπτου πρόεισι TOV τρόπον τοῦτον"
οὔτε γὰρ κύει χελιδὼν πλείονας οὔτε τίκτει.
4 ~ ~ ~~ “~

αὐτὴ δὲ τοσοῦτον κατασπᾷ τῆς τροφῆς, ὅσον ἂν
ἐν τῇ καλιᾷ κερδᾶναι δυνηθῇ παραρρεῦσαν αὐτῇ.

SZ δὲ ἐκβλέ 19 7 , ς “a
βραδέως δὲ ἐκβλέπει Ta” ταύτης βρέφη, ws Kat
τὰ τῶν κυνῶν σκυλάκια: πόαν δὲ κομίζει καὶ

προσάγει, τὰ δὲ ὑπαναβλέπει, εἶτα ἀτρεμήσαντα

. 357 “ἘΞ A 2; ’ ἊΝ -Ν > 4
ὀλίγον ἐκπετήσιμα ὄντα πρόεισι THs καλιᾶς ἐπὶ
: A . 4 7 δι ;
τὴν νομήν. ταύτης τῆς πόας ἄνθρωποι: γενέσθαι
2

ἐγκρατεῖς διψῶσι, καὶ ᾿ οὐδέπω *

- τῆς σπουδῆς
κατέτυχον.

26 Of ὃ e- 93 ΕΝ a) 7 ae
. ὑ €7fO7TES. εἰσὶν ὀρνίθων ATYVEOCTATOL, Και

~ ΔΝ , ~ “κ᾿ :
μοι δοκοῦσι τῶν προτέρων τῶν ἀνθρωπικῶν ἐν

1 ἐμπεσοῦσα after πτερά.

τϑό

ON ANIMALS, III. 24-26

she souses herself in water and plunging into dust
pefouls her feathers. Then when the mud has stuck
to her all over, she scrapes it off by degrees with her
beak and constructs her proposed dwelling. And as

‘her young are tender and unfledged, she knows -full

well that if she lets them rest on bare twigs, they will
suffer and be in pain. Accordingly she settles on the
packs of sheep, plucks some wool, and with it makes
their bed soft for her offspring.

95. The mother Swallow trains her young ones to The Swallow
be just by carefully distributing food in equal por~ young

tions. So she does not bring one meal for all, be-
cause she is not able to do so, but brings small objects
anda few at a time; she feeds the first-born first,
after it the second, thirdly her third offspring, pro-
ceeding as far as the fifth in the same way; for the
Swallow neither conceives nor hatches more than five..
She herself only consumes as much food as she can
obtain in the nest, that is, anything that is dropped
beside it.. Her young are slow to open their eyes, in
the same way as puppies. But she collects and
brings a herb,? and they by degrees gain their sight ;
then after remaining quiet for a while, when able to
fly, they leave the nest to seek for food. Men long
to possess this herb but have not yet obtained their

desire.

26. Among birds Hoopoes are the most savage;
and in my opinion it is due to the recollection of their
4 Pliny (HN 8. 27; 25. 8) calls it chelidonia, t.e. Greater
celandine. | |
cre
“2 καὶ τάν © . 8. Ges: τῆς νομῆς... 4 οὐδέπω νῦν.

187.

AELIAN

, \ 7 Α ᾿ ~
μνήμῃ καὶ μέντοι καὶ μίσει τοῦ γένους τοῦ τῶν
»“" 7 \
γυναικῶν ὑποπλέκειν τὰς καλιὰς ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις

4 “a 7 “- “ ἢ
καὶ τοῖς πάγοις τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς" καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ

προσιέναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους αὐτῶν τοῖς βρέφεσιν οἵ-
δε ἀντὶ τοῦ πηλοῦ χρίουσι τὰς καλιάς, ἀποπάτημα
ἀνθρώπου περιβαλόντες, τῇ δυσωδίᾳ τε καὶ κακο-
σμίᾳ ἀνείργοντες καὶ ἀναστέλλοντες τὸ ζῷον τὸ
ἑαυτοῖς πολέμιον. ἔτυχε δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ τείχους 1
ἐρημοτέρῳ. ὅδε ὁ ὄρνις παιδοποιησάμενος ἔν τινι
ῥήγματι λίθου ὑπὸ τοῦ χρόνου διαστάντι. οὐκοῦν
ὁ τοῦ τείχους μελεδωνὸς ἰδὼν ἔνδον τὰ βρέφη
κατήλειψε τὸν χηραμὸν τῷ πηλῷ. καὶ ὑποστρέψας
ὁ ἔποψ, ὡς εἶδεν αὑτὸν ἀποκλεισθέντα, πόαν

3 7 4 ᾽ὔ
ἐκόμισε Ὁ Ὁ ὁ δὲ
poe, καὶ προσήνεγκε τῷ πηλῷ" ὁ δὲ κατερρύη,

~ \ ‘ € m~ 2 A
καὶ προσῆλθε πρὸς τὰ αὑτοῦ ἐκεῖνος τέκνα, εἶτα

> ἡ Ἁ 2 \ oy > >
ἐπὶ {τὴν " νομὴν ἧξεν. αὖθις οὖν ὃ αὐτὸς ἐπήλει-

2 1 ¢ 2 “Ὁ ΄ι
ψεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ 6° ὄρνις τῇ αὐτῇ πόᾳ ἀνέῳξε
t v ,

TOV χηραμόν' καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἐπράχθη τὰ αὐτά. ὃ
τοίνυν Τοῦ τείχους φύλαξ ἰδὼν τὸ πραττόμενον,
τὴν πόαν ἀνελόμενος ἐχρῆτο οὐκ ἐς τὰ αὐτά,
ἀλλ᾽ ἀνέῳγεν ὃ μηδέν of προσήκοντας θησαυρούς.

21. SH ἹἸΠελοπόννησος λεόντων ἄγονός ἐστι" καὶ
οἷα 9 εἰκὸς “Ὅμηρος πεπαιδευμένῃ φρενὶ συνιδὼν
τοῦτο τὴν Ἄρτεμιν ἐκεῖθι θηρῶσαν. ἄδων εἶπεν
ὅτι ἄρα ἔπεισι τόν τε ᾿Γαὔγετον καὶ τὸν ’"EpvpavOov

. 7 J 1 3...
τερπομένη κἄπροισι καὶ ὠκείῃς ἐλάφοισιν.

1 τείχους A, τοῦ τ. most MSS.

2 τήν» add. Η.

ὃ ἡ

4 θ , ΄- ᾿ς
συντεθείσης τῆς πόας.

5 ἀνοίγων. δ ὅσα γε.

188

ΓΜ ΜΝ ΜῊ ΣΝ RTI CATH PSST

ON ANIMALS, III. 26-27

former existence as human beings and more especially
from their hatred of the female sex,* that they build
their nests in desolate regions and on high rocks;
and to prevent human beings from getting near their
young they smear their nests not with mud but with
human excrement, and by dint of its disgusting and
evil smell they repel and keep away the creature that
is their enemy. |
It happened that this bird had raised a family in
the deserted part of a fortress, in the cleft of a stone
that had split with age. So the guardian of the for-
tress, observing the young birds inside, smeared the

hole over with mud. When the Hoopoe returned -

and saw itself excluded, it fetched a herb and applied
τὸ to the mud. The mud was dissolved; the bird
reached its young, and then flew off to get food. 50
once again the man smeared the spot over, and the
bird by means of the same herb opened the hole.
And the same thing happened a third time. There-
fore the guardian of the fortress, seeing what was
done, himself gathered the herb and used it not for

the same purpose ; instead he laid open treasures that.

were none of his.

97. The Peloponnese does not breed Lions, and The Pelo-

Homer (as you would expect) with his trained intelli-

Ρ
d

onnese
evaid of

gence realising the fact, says in singing of Artemis Lions

and her hunting there that she passes over Taygetus b
and Erymanthus

‘ delighting in boars and swift-footed stags ’
| | [Od. 6. 104].

@ See 2. 3 n. | ᾿
> Mountain range to the W and S of Sparta.—Erymanthus,

mt on the borders of Achaia and Arcadia.
το

AELIAN —

? 4 \
ἐπεὶ de 1 ἔρημα λεόντων τάδε τὰ ὄρη, καὶ μάλα ye
εἰκότως οὐκ ἐμνήσθη αὐτῶν.

28. ee δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάττῃ ἰχθύς,
καὶ ὅσα γε εἰδέναι ἐμέ, ἔθεντο Περσέα (οἵ
ἐπιχώριοι ὄνομα αὐτῷ. καὶ ot μὲν “Ἕλληνες

αὐτὸν οὕτω, καλοῦσι δὲ καὶ "ApaBes ὁμοίως τοῖς.

“Ἕλλησι: Διὸς γὰρ υἱὸν καὶ ἐκεῖνοι ᾷδουσι τὸν
Περσέα, καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ wad TOV ἰχθὺν, ὑμνοῦσι
λέγεσθαι. μέγεθος μὲν οὖν ἐστι κατὰ τὸν ἀνθίαν
τὸν μέγιστον, ἰδεῖν δὲ ὁ ὅμοιος λάβρακι: γρυπός γε
μὴν ἡσυχῆ οὕτω, K καὶ ζώναις πεποίκιλται χρυσῷ
προσεικασμέναις" ἄρχονται δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς

3
ἐπικάρσιοι at ζῶναι, καὶ ἐς τὴν γαστέρα κατα-

λήγουσι. πέφρακται δὲ ὀδοῦσι μεγάλοις καὶ
πυκνοῖς. λέγεται δὲ ἰχθύων περιεῖναι ῥώμῃ TE
σώματος καὶ βίᾳ ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ τόλμης οἱ. ἐνδεῖ.
θήραν δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄγραν εἶπον ἀλλαχόθι.

29. Ἢ πίώνη θαλάττιον ζῷον, καὶ ἔστι τῶν
ὀστρείων. κέχηνε δὲ τῇ διαστάσει. τῶν περικει-
μένων ὀστράκων, καὶ προτείνει σαρκίον ἐξ ἑ ἑαυτῆς
οἱονεὶ δέλεαρ τοῖς παρανηχομένοις τῶν ἰχθύων.
καρκίνος δὲ αὐτῇ παραμένει σύντροφός τε καὶ

Lg
σύννομος. οὐκοῦν ὅταν τίς τῶν ἰχθύων προσνέῃ,

ὁ δὲ ὑπένυξεν ἡσυχῆ αὐτήν: καὶ ἡ πίννη μᾶλλον
ἀ ἄ ξεῦ ἑαυτήν, καὶ ἐδέξατο ἔσω τοῦ ἐπιόντος
ἰχθύος τὴν κεφαλὴν (καθίησι γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ τροφῇ)
καὶ ἐσθίει αὐτήν.

1 ἐπειδή. 3 <ol> add, Schn.

α Not in any surviving work.
Igo.

ON ANIMALS, III. 27-29

And since these mountains are destitute of Lions he
was quite right not to mention them.

28. There occurs in the Red Sea a fish, and, so far The

as I know, the people there have given it the name οὔ: τς
Perseus. And the Greeks callit so, and the Arabians
in like manner with the Greeks. For they too call
Perseus the son of Zeus, and it is after him that

they declare the fish is named. 75 size is that of the

largest anthias; in appearance it is like a basse; its |
nose is somewhat hooked, and it is dappled with rings
as it were of gold round its body, and these rings be-
gin at the head at right angles to it and cease at the
belly. It is armed with large teeth set close. It
is said to surpass other fish in the strength and power
of its body, neither is it wanting in courage. How to
fish for it and how to catch it I have explained else-
where.*

99. The Pinna is a marine creature and belongs τὰ vine and

the class of bivalves. It opens by parting the shells:
that enclose it, and extends a small piece of its flesh.
like a bait to fish that swim by. The Crab however
remains by its side, sharing its food and its feeding-" |
ground. Sowhensome fish comes swimming up, the
Crab gives the Pinna a gentle prick, whereat the
Pinna opens its shell wider and admits the head of the.
approaching fish—for it lowers its head to feed—and
eats it. |

101:

UN TAD ECD ao Gs tay SEE

AELIAN

30. Ἦν δὲ dpa οἰκεῖα τῷ πεπαιδευμένῳ καὶ
ταῦτα εἰδέναι. σοφώτατος ὁ κόκκυξ καὶ πλέκειν
εὐπόρους ἐξ ἀπόρων μηχανὰς δεινότατος. ἑαυτῷ
μὲν γὰρ συνεπίσταται ἐπφῳάζειν οὐ δυναμένῳ καὶ
ἐκλέπειν διὰ ψυχρότητα τῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι
συγκράσεως, ὥς φασιν. οὐκοῦν ὅταν τίκτῃ, οὔτε
αὐτὸς νεοττιὰν ὑποπλέκει οὔτε τιθηνεῖται τὰ βρέφη,
φυλάττει δὲ ἄρα τοὺς τῶν νεοττιῶν δεσπότας
ἀφεστῶτας καὶ πλανωμένους, καὶ παρελθὼν ἐς
καταγωγὴν ὀθνείαν ἐντίκτει. οὐ πάντων δὲ ὀρνί-
θων καλιαῖς ἐπιπηδᾷ οὗτός γε, ἀλλὰ κορύδου καὶ
φάττης καὶ χλωρίδος καὶ πάππου" τούτοις γὰρ

? iY
συνεπίσταται ὅμοια αὐτῷ wo τίκτουσι. καὶ κενῶν
μὲν αὐτῶν οὐσῶν, οὐκ ἂν παρέλθοι" φῶν δὲ ἔνδον
ὄντων εἶτα. μέντοι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ παρενέμιξεν.. ἐὰν
δὲ ἢ πολλὰ τὰ ἐκείνων, τὰ μὲν ἐκκυλίσας ἠφάνισε,
τὰ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ κατέλιπε, διαγνωσθῆναί τε καὶ
φωραθῆναι δι᾿ “ὁμοιότητα μὴ δυνάμενα. καὶ ot
μὲν ὄρνι ες οἱ προειρημένοι τὰ μηδέν σφισι
προσήκοντα ἐκγλύφουσιν, ὑποπηγνύμενα δὲ ἐ ἐκεῖνα
ἑαυτοῖς συνεγνωκότα τὴν νοθείαν ἐκπέτεταί τε καὶ

παρὰ τὸν γεινάμενον στέλλεται: τῶν γὰρ πτερῶν.

αὐτοῖς περιχυθέντων γνωρίξ εται ἀλλότρια. ὄντα,
καὶ αἰκίζεται πικρότατα. ὁρᾶται 1 δὲ μίαν ὥραν
τοῦ ἔτους τὴν ἀρίστην ὁ κόκκυξ' ἦρος γὰρ
ὑπαρχομένου καὶ αὐτὸς ἐμφανής ἐστιν ἐς ἀνατολὰς
Σειρίου, εἶτα τῆς τῶν πολλῶν ὄψεως ἀνεχώρησεν.

Tria ateitalihhilirinbe the daleseetehthdevetertebact:

atrittencote toe deltes tanAbnocibubintiidinaaspararreiniecns bos

PATA ARAN ARE Bore ee Rtn apc ptt abbblppeniee bmn ye νορλοσυ στννοντ νος σναλννουαινν νον ts ne

ee aa rae tne tnn 7mm myn annem a here eat

ON ANIMALS, III. 30-32

30. It seems after all fitting that an educated man The Cuckoo

should be acquainted with these facts as well.. The
Cuckoo is extremely clever and most adroit at devis-
ing ingenious solutions to difficulties. For the bird is
conscious that it cannot brood and hatch eggs because
of the cold nature of its bodily constitution, so they.
say. Therefore, when it lays its eggs, it neither builds
itself a nest nor nurses its young, but watches until

birds that have nestlings are flown and abroad, enters

the strange lodging, and there lays its eggs. The
rascal does not however assail the nests of all birds,
only those of the lark, the ring-dove, the greenfinch,
and the pappus,* knowing as it does that these birds
lay. eggs resembling its own. And if the nests are

empty, it will not go near them, but if they contain

eggs, then it mixes its own with them. But if the
egos of the other bird are numerous, it rolls them out
and destroys them and leaves its own behind, their
resemblance making it impossible to know them
apart and detect them. And the aforesaid birds
hatch the eggs which are none of theirs. But when
the Cuckoo's young have grown strong and are con-
scious of their bastardy, they fly away and resort to

their parent. For directly they are fledged they are

recognised as alien and are grievously ill-treated.

The Cuckoo is seen only at one season, and that the
best, of the year. For it is actually visible from the
beginning of spring until the rising of the Dog-star ; ὃ
after that it withdraws from the sight of man.

31. ᾿Αλεκτρυόνα φοβεῖται λέων. καὶ βασιλίσκος
δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν ὄρνιν, ὥς φασιν, ὀρρωδεῖ, καὶ κατιδὼν
τρέμει, καὶ ἀκούων ἄδοντος σπᾶταί τε καὶ ἀποθνή-

81. The Lion dreads a Cock, and the Basilisk tao: The Cock,

they say, goes in fear of the same bird: at the sight feared by’
of one it shudders, and at the sound of its crowing it Basilisk
@ Unknown bird. > About mid-J uly.

τ tC εκ
καὶ ὁρᾶται.

a 193

VOL. I. ΕΞ

BORAT SLICES EBSLLERERLEUSTONS EMS PELL TAA OT EMNLRIE RATE BOREL MCE Mt λβεέννοξ ϑϑϑαυ σονωυτωοανανατισυντσσπλλη, δ ονασταστιαπαυοο πα σσυμουνασκνανο nde neces

ie EET eNOS NIN IIE ERIE NETTIE EPLATI ITLL LISI LESSIG LSP ISIS ISS BICDY BEL LEGIN ILI SDAA RDS REY ALS,

> ΠΕΟΜΡΑΝΟΟΙΝΝΙ

AELIAN

-- 2 A e 4 7 e ~
σκει. ταῦτα dpa καὶ ot τὴν Λιβύην ὁδοιποροῦντες
τὴν τῶν τοιούτων τροφὸν δέει τοῦ προειρημένου

ἃ

᾽ ᾿ ν
βασιλίσκου εἶτα μέντοι συνέμπορον καὶ κοινωνὸν

“«-ς ς “- 4 > fd 3 Ff Φ > \
τῆς ὁδοῦ Tov ἀλεκτρυόνα ἐπάγονται, ὁσπερ οὖν TO

“- 29 f > -
τηλικοῦτον κακὸν ἀπαλλάξει αὐτοῖς.

32. Ἢ Κρήτη καὶ τοῖς λύκοις καὶ τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς
θηρίοις ἐχθίστη ἐστίν. ἀκούω <dé>1 Θεοφράστου
λέγοντος καὶ ἐν τῷ Μακεδονικῷ ᾿Ολύμπῳ τοῖς
λύκοις ἄβατα εἶναι. αἶγες δὲ ἄρα αἱ Ἱζεφαλληνίδες

οὐ πίνουσι μηνῶν ἕξ. οἷς δὲ Bovdwas? οὐκ ὄψει

7 a é \ ͵ ,

λευκάς, ὥς φασι, μελαίνας δὲ πάσας. διαφορότης
: “- , f , Ἅ
δὲ ἄρα τῶν ζῴων καὶ ἰδιότης εἴη ἂν καὶ ταύτῃ"
4 ~ ? 4
τὰ μὲν yap αὐτῶν ἐστι δακετὰ καὶ evinow ἀπὸ
~ ὃ ’, “ λ \ 3 ὃ \ @¢& f
τοῦ ὀδόντος φάρμακον, βλητικὰ 8 δὲ ὅσα παίσαντα
εἶτα μέντοι καὶ ἐκεῖνα τὸ Σ τοιοῦτον κακὸν
ἐνίησιν.

33. Ἢ Λίβυσσα δ᾽ ἀσπίς, ἀκούω, τὸν πρὸς τὸ

φύσημα αὐτῆς ἀντιβλέψαντα ὅ τυφλοῖ τὴν ὄψιν"

ἡ δὲ ἄλλη οὐ τυφλοῖ μέν, ἀποκτείνει δὲ ῥᾷστα.
Λέγονται δὲ βόες ᾿᾽Ηπειρωτικαὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον
ἀμέλγεσθαι καὶ αἶγες αἱ Σκύριαι γάλα ἀφθονώτα-
τον παρέχειν, ὅσον οὐκ ἄλλαι αἶγες. αἱ δὲ
Αἰγύπτιαι ἔστιν at® πέντε ἀποτίκτουσι,7 Kat αἱ
πλεῖσται δίδυμα. λέγεται δὲ αἴτιος ὁ Νεῖλος
εἶναι, εὐτεκνότατον παρέχων ὕδωρ. ἔνθεν τοι καὶ
τῶν νομέων τοὺς ἄγαν φιλοκάλους καὶ τῆς ποίμνης
3

τῆς σφετέρας ἔχοντας πεφροντισμένως ὕδωρ ἐκ

΄-.- / a ξ ΄- 3 ᾽ ¥ “~
τοῦ Νείλου ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἀγέλαις ἄγειν μηχανῇ

1 28> add. H. 2 ᾿Αβυδηνάς.
8 Schn: βλητά. £7. ᾿
104

ON ANIMALS, III. 31-33

is seized with convulsions and dies. This is why
travellers in Libya, which is the nurse of such. mon-
sters, in fear of the aforesaid Basilisk take with them
a Cock as companion and partner of their journey to
protect themselves from so terrible an infliction.

32. Crete is exceedingly hostile to wolves and rep- a pecu- ᾿
tiles; and I learn from Theophrastus ὅ that there are ae
places on Macedonian Olympus where wolves do not
go. Goats in Cephallenia go without drinking for six
months. Among the Budini,® they say, you will not
see a white sheep: they are all black.

It seems that one peculiarity that distinguishes
animals consists in this: some bite and inject poison
from a fang, while others are given to striking, and
having struck also inject a like deadly substance.

33. The Libyan Asp, I am told, blinds the sight of The Asp in
the man who faces its breath. But the other kind ””
does not indeed blind but kills at once.

It is said that the Cows of Epirus give a most
copious supply of milk, and the Goats of Scyros a far Goats in
more generous yield than any other goats. And ve
there are Goats in Egypt that produce quintuplets, in Egypt
while most produce twins. The Nile is said to be the
cause of this, as the water it provides is extremely
progenitive. For that reason shepherds who like fine
flocks and devote much care to them have a device
for drawing as much water as is possible from the Nile

α There is no such statement in his extant remains.
_> The Budini were a tribe living N of the Sea of Azov.

ὅ ἀντιβλέψαντα ὅταν πρησθῇ τὸν τράχηλον.
6 ἑκάστη. Ἱ ἀποτίκτει.

105

ἰ
;
᾿
|

AELIAN

ὅσον δυνατόν ἐ €07Tt, Kat ταῖς γε στερίφαις 1 ἔτι καὶ

μᾶλλον.

84. Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ δευτέρῳ φασὶν ἐξ ᾿Ινδῶν
κέρας ἐκομίσθη, καὶ τρεῖς ἀμφορέας ἐχώρησεν.
οἷος 5 ἄρα ὁ βοῦς ἦν, ὡς ἐκπεφυκέναι οὗ τηλικοῦτον

35. Περδίκων φθέγμα ἕν οὐδέποτ᾽ ἂν ἀκούσειας 3

ἁπάντων, ἀλλὰ ἔστι διάφορα. καὶ ᾿Αθήνησί γε

οἱ ἐπέκεινα τοῦ KopvdaMewy δήμου ἄλλο ὦ
ἠχοῦσι, καὶ Ob ἐπίταδε ἄλλο. τίνα δέ ἐστι τοῖς
φθέγμασι τὰ ὀνόματα, ἐρεῖ Θεόφραστος. ἐν δὲ
τῇ Βοιωτίᾳ καὶ τῇ ἀντιπέρας Εὐβοίᾳ ὁμόφωνοί τέ
εἰσι καὶ ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις ὁμόγλωττοι. ἄφωνα δέ
ἐστι τὸ παράπαν ἐν Pan μὲν οἱ βάτραχοι, ἐν

. Μακεδονίᾳ δὲ ὗς. καὶ τεττίγων τι γένος, ἄφωνοι

καὶ οὗτοι .

96. Dévos φαλαγγίου φασὶν εἶναι, καλοῦσι δὲ
ῥᾶγα τὸ φαλάγγιον, εἴτε ὅτι μέλαν ἐστὶ καὶ τῷ
ὄντι προσέοικε σταφυλῆς p ῥαγὶ καί πως ὁρᾶται καὶ
περιφερές, εἴτε δι᾽ αἰτίαν ἑτέραν ὅ γίνεται δὲ ἐν

τῇ Λιβύῃ, καὶ ἔχει πόδας μικρούς ὃ στόμα δὲ

f ;
εἴληχεν ἐν μέσῃ. τῇ γαστρί, καὶ ἔστιν ἀποκτεῖναι
τάχιστον.

37. Ἔν Σιερίφῳ βάτραχοι, τὸ παράπαν οὐκ ἂν.

αὐτῶν ἀκούσειας " φθεγγομένων: εἰ δὲ avrovs
κομίσειας ἡ ἀλλαχόθι, διάτορόν τε ὃ καὶ τραχύτα-
1 σταῖς στερίφαις | γε."
3 οὐδέποτε ἀκούσαις.

τοῦ

3. ὅσος conj. H, οὗτος AL.

ON ANIMALS, III. 33-37

for their herds, especially for animals that are.
barren. |

. 34. They say hak. a horn was brought from the A wonderful
Indies to Ptolemy II, and it held three amphorae. a
Imagine an ox that could produce a horn of that size,

35. You would never hear the same note from all The _
Partridges, but they vary. At Athens for instance *°*"°6°
those on the far side of the deme Corydallus emit one
note, those on this side another. What names these
notes have Theophrastus will tell us [fr. 181]. But
in Boeotia and on the opposite shore of Euboea they
have the same note and, as it were, the same lan-
guage. In Cyrene the Frogs are completely dumb ;
in Macedonia, the Pigs; and there is also a kind. of
Cicada that is dumb.

36. There is a kind of Spider which they call the The Grepe-
‘ Grape-spider,’ either because it is dark and does in *"°*
fact resemble a grape in a bunch—it has a somewhat

_ spherical appearance—or for some other reason. It

occurs in Libya and has short legs; it has a mouth in
the middle of its belly, and can kill in a twinkling.

37. In Seriphus you will never hear the Frogs abe tees
croaking at all. 1 however you transport them else- ρον
where, they emit a piercing and most harsh sound..

® About 26 gallons.

4 ἄλλο ye.

5 ἑτέραν, καταγνῶναι τοῦτο ῥᾷον οὐκ ἐστι.
6 Ges: μακρούς. 1 ἀκούσαις.
8 κομίσαις. ᾿ 9. χι,

197

AELIAN |

tov ἠχοῦσιν. ἐν ἸΤΠιέρῳ δὲ τῆς Θετταλίας λίμνη 3
ἐστίν, οὐκ ἀέναος, ἀλλὰ χειμῶνος ἐκ τῶν συρ-
ρεόντων ἐς αὐτὴν ὑδάτων τίκτεται. οὐκοῦν ἐὰν
> 7 ἡ ~
ἐμβάλῃ τις βατράχους ἐς αὐτήν, σιωπῶσιν,
3 A ,ὔ ς " \ ~ 7,
ἀλλαχοῦ φθεγγόμενοι. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν Lepipiwv
βατράχων κομπάζουσι Σερίφιοι ἐλθεῖν ἐκ τοῦ

‘ aA 7 + ‘ 7, : \
κατὰ τῆς Γοργόνος ἄθλου τὸν Περσέα πολλὴν
περιελθόντα γῆν, καὶ οἷα εἰκὸς καμόντα ἀνα-
παύσασθαι τῆς λίμνης πλησίον καὶ κατακλινῆναι
ὕπνου δεόμενον. τοὺς δὲ βατράχους βοᾶν καὶ
ἐρεσχελεῖν τὸν ἥρωα καὶ τὸν ὕπνον αὐτῷ διακόπ-
τειν 2. τὸν Περσέα δὲ εὔξασθαι τῷ πατρὶ τοὺς
βατράχους κατασιγάσαι. τὸν δὲ ὑπακοῦσαι καὶ
χαριζόμενον τῷ υἱεῖ τῶν ἐκεῖθι βατράχων αἰώνιον
συγὴν καταψηφίσασθαι. λέγει δὲ Θεόφραστος
2 7 i “~ 3 / ro 3 /
ἐκβάλλων τὸν μῦθον καὶ Σεριφίους τῆς ἀλαζονείας
παραλύων τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος ψυχρότητα αἰτίαν εἶναι
“Ο 3 τ -“» ΄
τῆς ἀφωνίας τῶν προειρημένων.

38 Ἢ; Η a e “ τι Ψ»Ἰ / .
. "Ev τοῖς ὑγροῖς χωρίοις καὶ ἔνθα νοτιώτα-
€ FA 7 ε ᾿

τος ἢ ὁ ἀὴρ ὑπεράγαν, ot ἀλεκτρυόνες οὐκ ᾷδουσι,
. Θ 7 : ξ δὲ 9 Φ » λί 9 7

φησὶ Θεόφραστος. ἡ δὲ ἐν Φενεῷ λίμνη ἰχθύων

» 7 >

ayoves ἐστι. ψυχροὶ δὲ ἄρα ὄντες THY σύγκρασιν
ς 7 ~

ot τέττιγες εἶτα μέντοι πυρούμενοι TH ἡλίῳ *

ἄδουσιν, ἐκεῖνος λέγει.

39. Τολμηρότατος ὃ {δὲ ἄρα ζῴων 6 αἰγιθήλας
v> τῶν μὲν γὰρ ὀρνίθων ὑπερῴφρονεϊῖ τῶν μικρῶν,
ἐπιτίθεται δὲ ταῖς αἰξὶ κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν, καὶ

/ \\7 ~ Ha > “A ᾽ὔ
μέντοι ζκαϊδ' τοῖς οὔθασιν αὐτῶν προσπετόμενος

1 Ges: λίμνη 7.
3. διακόπτειν καὶ λυπεῖν δηλονότι.

τοῦ

ON ANIMALS, III. 37-39

On mount Pierus in Thessaly there is a lake; it is not
perennial but is created in winter by the waters which
flow together into it. Now if one throws Frogs into
it they become silent, though vocal elsewhere.
Touching the Seriphian Frogs the people of Seriphus

boast that Perseus arrived from his contest with the and Perseus »

Gorgon after covering an immense distance, and being
naturally fatigued rested by the lake side and lay
down wishing to sleep. The Frogs however worried
the hero with their croaking and interrupted his
slumbers. But Perseus prayed to his father to silence
the Frogs. His father gave ear and to gratify his son
condemned the Frogs there to everlasting silence.
Theophrastus however upsets the story [ fr. 186] and
relieves the Seriphians of their imposture by asserting
that it is the coldness of the water that causes the
aforesaid Frogs to be dumb.

38. In moist places and where the air is excessively Local pecu-

damp Cocks do not crow, according to Theophrastus '
(fr. 187]. And the lake at Pheneus produces no fish.
It is because Cicadas are constitutionally cold that,
when warmed by the sun, they sing, says the same
writer.

39. It seems that the Goatsucker is the most The Goat-

audacious of creatures, for it despises small birds but
assails goats with the utmost violence, and more than
that, it flies to their udders and sucks out the milk

ὃ νοτιῶτε ρος.

4 Jac: πυρουμένου τοῦ ἡλίου.

5 τολμηρότατον Ges, τολμηρότερον.
6 “δές add. Η.

7. <xat> add. Η.

199

AELIAN

εἶτα expvld τὸ γάλα, Kal τὴν τιμωρίαν τὴν ἐκ
τοῦ αἰπόλου οὐ δέδοικε, καΐτοι πονηρότατον
αὐταῖς μισθὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς πλησμονῆς ἀποδιδούς"
τυφλοῖ γὰρ τὸν μαστόν,Σ καὶ ἀποσβέννυσι τὴν
ἐκεῖθεν ἐπιρροήν. β

40. Μητροδίδακτον μὲν τὸν τῆς ᾿Αρήτης 3 υἱὸν

\ “᾿ π᾿ “a aA
τὸν τῆς ἀδελφῆς τῆς ᾿Αριστίππου ὑμνοῦσιν ot

πολλοί: λέγει δὲ ᾿Αριστοτέλης ἰδεῖν αὐτὸς τὰ

νεόττια τῆς ἀηδόνος ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς διδασκόμενα
ἄδειν. ἦν δὲ apa ὀρνίθων ἡ. ἀηδὼν ἐλευθερίας
ἐράστρια ἰσχυρῶς, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἡ ἐντελὴς τὴν
ἡλικίαν ὅταν θηραθῇ καὶ καθειργμένη ἢ,2 δῆς ὃ
ἀπέχεται, καὶ ἀμύνεται τὸν ὀρνιθοθήραν ὑπὲρ τῆς
δουλείας τῇ σιωπῆ. οὗπερ οὖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι
πεπειραμένοι, τὰς μὲν ἤδη πρεσβυτέρας ὃ μεθιᾶσι,
σπουδάζουσι δὲ θηρᾶν τὰ νεόττια..

Ὁ 7 “-“᾿ .
41. Ἵππους μονόκερως γῆ ᾿Ινδικὴ τίκτει, φασί,
: 1 » / ᾿ ;
καὶ ὄνους μονόκερως ἡ αὐτὴ τρέφει, Kal γίνεταί
> “- ; ~
ye ἐκ τῶν κεράτων τῶνδε ἐκπώματα. Kal εἴ τις
> 29 \ 2 (λ 7 θ Ἢ ΟΝ, ΟΜ
ἐς αὐτὰ ἐμβάλοι φάρμακον θανατηφόρον, ὁ πιών,

ON ¢ 5 4
οὐδὲν ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ λυπήσει αὐτόν: ἔοικε yap
3 “- “- “- ,
ἀμυντήριον τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ κέρας καὶ τοῦ ἵππου καὶ

a >
TOU OVOU εἰναι.

¢ / : |
42. ‘OQ πορφυρίων ὡραιότατός τε ἅμα Kal
,ὔ 4 2 :
φερωνυμώτατός ἐστι ζῴων, καὶ χαίρει κονιόμενος,

1 3 ~ 7
ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος.
2 ᾿ ¢ é La ba]
μαστὸν ὅταν σπάσῃ MSS, ὃν ἂν σ΄ Jac.
8 Cas: ᾿Αρίστης.
> “a
4. ἢ ἐν τῷ οἰκίσκῳ φυλάττεται.

ON ANIMALS, III. 39-42

without any fear of vengeance from the goatherd,
although it makes the basest return for being filled
with milk, for it makes the dug ‘blind’ and staunches
its flow. " 7 |

40. Many people sing the praises of the son of The |

Arete; the sister of Aristippus, as being taught by “#478
his mother. Aristotle says [HA 536b17] that he
has with his own eyes seen the young of the Night-
ingale being instructed by their mother how to sing.
It seems that the Nightingale passionately loves its
freedom, and for that reason when a mature bird is
caught and confined in a cage, it refrains from song
and takes vengeance on the birdcatcher for its en-
slavement by silence. Consequently men who have
had this experience let them go when they are older
and do their best to catch the young.

41. India produces horses with one horn, they say, ‘The Horn
and the same country fosters asses with a single horn. pe
And from these horns they make drinking-vessels,
and if anyone puts a deadly poison in them and a man

drinks, the plot will do him no harm. For it seems

_ that the horn poth of the horse and of the ass is an

antidote to the poison.

42. The Purple Coot is the most beautiful and the The Purple
« 7 < ᾿ τῷ Coot
most appropriately named of creatures, and it de-

@ Arete was the daughter, not the sister, of Aristippus, and
her son was called after his grandfather.

δ 4 “ \ IRA
καὶ τροφῶν Kat φδῆς.
8 πρεσβυτέρας καὶ ἁλούσας.

ΠΑΕΒΙΙΑΝ

ἤδη δὲ καὶ λοῦται τὸ τῶν περιστερῶν λουτρόν"
οὐ πρότερον δὲ ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδίδωσι ταῖς κονίστραις
καὶ τοῖς λουτροῖς, πρὶν ἂν βαδίσῃ τινὰ ἀριθμὸν
βαδίσεων 3 ἀρκοῦντά οἷ. συτούμενος δὲ ἐπὶ μαρτύ-
ρων ἄχθεται, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἀναχωρεῖ, καὶ

ὑπολανθάνων ἐσθίει. ζηλότυπος δέ ἐστιν ἰσχυρῶς,

καὶ τὰς ὑπάνδρους. τῶν γυναικῶν παραφυλάττει,
καὶ ἐὰν καταγνῷ μοιχεύεσθαι τῆς οἰκίας τὴν
δέσποιναν, ἀπάγχει ἑαυτόν. οὐ πέτεται δὲ ὑψηλός.
χαίρουσί γε μὴν ot ἄνθρωποι αὐτῷ, καὶ τρέφουσι
πεφεισμένως καὶ προμηθῶς αὐτόν. καὶ ἔοικεν ἢ
σοβαρᾶς οἰκίας καὶ μέγα πλουσίας ἄθυρμα εἶναι,
ἢ ὑποδέχεται νεὼς αὐτόν, καὶ ἄφετος ἁλᾶται καὶ
ἱερὸς περίεισιν ἔσω περιβόλου. τὸν ταῶν μὲν
οὖν ὡραῖον ὄντα καὶ καταθύουσι καὶ σιτοῦνται οἱ
ἄσωτοι: τοῦ γὰρ ὄρνιθος τὰ μὲν πτερὰ κόσμος
ἐστί, τὸ δὲ σῶμα ἢ τι ἢ οὐδέν. πορφυρίωνα δὲ
οὐκ οἷδα καταθύσαντα οὐδένα ἐπὶ δείπνῳ, οὐ
Καλλίαν οὐ Κτήσιππον τοὺς ᾿Αθηναίους, οὐ
Λεύκολλον οὐχ ὋὉρτήσιον τοὺς “Ρωμαίους:
εἶπον δὲ ὀλίγους ἐκ πολλῶν ἀσώτους καὶ ἄκρατε-
στάτους τῇ τε ἄλλῃ καὶ μέντοι καὶ περὶ γαστέρα.

¢ ? εξ 7
43. Ὃ κόραξ 6 ἤδη γέρων ὅταν μὴ δύνηται
f ‘ “σι
τρέφειν τοὺς νεοττούς, ἑαυτὸν αὐτοῖς προτείνει
7 ε x 3
τροφήν. ot δὲ ἐσθίουσι τὸν πατέρα. καὶ τὴν
1 λούεται. 2 βαδίσεως.
3. Jac: ἢν τι οὐδέν.
4 λεύκουλλον most MSS, εὔκολον A.

* Callias: end of 5th cent. B.c., a wealthy and frivolous
Athenian. Both Xenophon and Plato lay the scene of their

202

ON ANIMALS, III. 42-43

lights to dust itself, and it also bathes just as pigeons
do. But it does not devote itself to the dusting-
place or to the bath until it has walked a certain
number of paces to satisfy itself. It cannot bear

being seen feeding, and for that reason it retires and —

eats in concealment. It is violent in its jealousy and
keeps a close watch on the mated female birds, and
if it discovers the mistress of its house to be adul-
terous, it strangles itself. It does not fly high. Yet
men take pleasure in it and tend it with care and
consideration. And apparently it is either a pet
in a sumptuous and opulent household, or else it is
admitted into a temple and roams unconfined, moving
about as a sacred creature within the precinct..

The Peacock on the contrary, which is a beautiful The

bird, is killed and eaten by voluptuaries. The
feathers of this bird are a decoration, though its body
is of little or no account. But I never heard of any-
one killing a Purple Coot for a meal, not Callias*
nor Ctesippus the Athenians, not Lucullus nor
Hortensius the Romans. I have named but a few
out of many who were luxurious and insatiate in other
ways but especially where their bellies were con-

cerned.

ock

᾿ς 48, When the Raven on reaching old age can no The Raven

longer feed its young, it offers itself as their food;
and they eat their father. And this is alleged to be

Symposia at his house.—Ctesippus, pleasure-loving Athenian,
defended by Demosthenes in his speech against Leptines;
became a butt for Comic poets.—Lucullus: Ist cent. Β.0.;
conqueror of Mithridates; his name became proverbial for
wealth.—Hortensius: Ist cent. 3.c., famous as an orator, the
rival of Cicero, and possessor of immense wealth.

203,

old age

AELIAN

. ἢ 3 af) 7 x 7 - A.
παροιμίαν ἐντεῦθέν φασι τὴν γένεσιν λαβεῖν τὴν
λέγουσαν ἱκακοῦ κόρακος κακὸν φόν.

_ 44. Σωφρονέσταται ὀρνίθων ai φάτται ἄδονται.
ὁ γοῦν ἄρρην καὶ ὁ θῆλυς συνδυασθέντες καὶ
οἱονεὶ συμπνεύσαντες ἐς γάμον ἀλλήλων ἔχονται
καὶ σωφρονοῦσι, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ὀθνείου λέχους
οὐδέτερος ἅψαιτο τῶν ὀρνίθων τῶνδε. ἐὰν δὲ
ἐποφθαλμιάσωσιν ἑτέροις, περιέρχονται αὐτοὺς οἱ
λουποῖ, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἄρρενα οἱ ὁμογενεῖς διασπῶσιν,
at θήλειαι δὲ τὸν θῆλυν. οὗτος ἄρα 6 τῆς σωφρο-
σύνης νόμος καὶ ἐς τὰς τρυγόνας ἀφικνεῖται καὶ
ἄτρεπτος μένει, ἢ πλὴν τοῦ «(μὴ)» θανατοῦσθαι
ae 3 ‘ "7 3

᾿᾿εκάτερον TOV ὄρνιν: ἐπεὶ τὸν μὲν ἄρρενα ἄναι-
ροῦσι, τὸν δὲ θῆλυν ᾧκτειραν καὶ εἴασαν ἀπαθῆ,

καὶ περίεισι χῆρος.

45, ᾿Αριστοτέλης λέγει τῶν περιστερῶν τοὺς 3
ἄρρενας ταῖς θηλείαις ταῖς τικτούσαις συνωδίνειν
καὶ ἀλωμένας τῆς καλιᾶς ἔξω συνωθεῖν τε καὶ
συνελαύνειν, καὶ ὅταν τέκωσιν, ἐπῳάζειν ἐκβιάξε-
σθαι. θάλπειν δὲ ὁ καὶ τοὺς ἄρρενας τὰ νεόττια
καὶ συνεκτρέφειν ὅ ταῖς θηλείαις 6 αὐτός φησι,
καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ κακοσίτους εἶναι τοὺς νεοττοὺς
πρώτην τροφὴν διδόναι δ τοῖς βρέφεσι τοὺς γει-
ναμένους ἁλμυρίδα γῆν, ἧσπερ οὖν γευσάμενα εἶτα
μέντοι καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν σιτεῖσθαι ἑτοίμως τὸ
ἐντεῦθεν αὐτά. δοκεῖ δέ πως ταῖς περιστεραῖς 7
πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἄλλους ὄρνιθας τοὺς ἁρπακτικοὺς
ἔνσπονδα εἶναι, τοὺς μέντοι ἁλιαέτους καὶ τοὺς

1 7 +2 4 4 \ 7
μένει καὶ ES TAS “περιστερᾶς τὰς λευκάς.

2. «μήν add. Η.

204.

|
4

sae eve petennsncone oN μβμελοσω Ae nbd Lh.

hasan eee email reer κι μμαμαπουτονσυνλοσατοσλνε a atynniet inked bien nDinenihié bebe

sean cionrai abet panmanatannsnant tenn ως,

ΟΝ» ιν

Bye

ON ANIMALS, III. 43-45
the origin of the proverb which says ‘ A bad egg of a

bad raven.’

The

44, Ringdoves are celebrated’ as the most con- eae

tinent of birds. For instance, when once the male
and the female have paired and are, so to say; of one
mind to wed, they cling to one another and are :
continent, and neither bird would touch a strange
bed. If however they cast amorous glances at other
birds, the rest gather round them and the ἀν 5
torn to pieces by those of his own sex, the female by
the females. This then is the law of continence
which extends to doves and remains unchanged, |
except that they do not put to death both ΠΗ : |
when they kill the male they take compassion on the |
female and leave her unharmed ; and she goes about,

a widow. ; ᾿ ; |

45. Aristotle says [HA 613 a1] that male Pigeons The Pigeon
share the birth-pangs of the females, and if they
wander from the nest the males will push and drive
them in; and when they have laid their eggs the
males will force them to brood them. But the male
birds also keep the chicks warm and help the females
to feed them, according to the same writer. And to
prevent the chicks from being underfed the parents
begin by giving them saline earth, so that when they
have tasted it, they then readily eat the rest of their
food. It would seem that there is a treaty of peace
between Pigeons and such others as are birds of prey,
but they are said to live in fear of sea-eagles and
Tn

3 καὶ τού 4 χε.
ὅ earn ΓΝ 8 ἐγδιδόναι.
1 Jac: περιστεραῖς τὸ ἐντεῦθεν. re

AEKLIAN

, ¢ / ΄
κίρκους ὡς πεφρίκασί φασι. πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἱέρακας.

οἷα παλαμῶνται ἀκοῦσαι ἄξιον. ὅταν μὲν αὐτὰς
διώκῃ 6 μετάρσιός τε καὶ ἐς ὕψος πεφυκὼς πέ-
τέσθαι, αἱ δὲ ὑπολισθάνουσι 1 καὶ κατωτέρω
ἑαυτὰς καθέλκουσι καὶ τὸ πτερὸν 5: πειρῶνται
πιέζειν. ὅταν δὲ 6 κατωτέρω λαχὼν ἐκ τῆς
φύσεως τὴν πτῆσιν, αἱ δὲ αἴρονταί τε καὶ μετεωρο-
ποροῦσι, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πετόμεναι θαρροῦσιν
ἀνωτέρω ἄξαι μὴ δυναμένου. ᾿

> ? /
: 46. Ἐλέφαντος πωλίῳ περιτυγχάνει λευκῷ πω-
᾿ +
εὐτὴς hides, καὶ παραλαβὼν ἔτρεφεν ἔτι νεαρόν,
3 7
καὶ κατὰ μικρὰ ἀπέφηνε χειροήθη, καὶ ἐπωχεῖῦτο
αὐτῷ, καὶ ἦρα τοῦ κτή i ἁ iro, ἀνθ᾽
ἀμ: Ὥρα τοῦ κτήματος καὶ ἀντηρᾶτο, ἀνθ
ὧν ἐ ρεψε τὴν ἀμοιβὴν κομιζόμενος ἐκεῖνος. 6
τοίνυν βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ινδῶν πυθόμενος ἤτει λαβεῖν
τὸν ἐλέφαντα. 6 δὲ ὡς ἐρώ ζηλο
: α. ὁ δὲ ὡς ἐρώμενος ζηλοτυπῶν καὶ
~ >.
μέντοι {καὶ ᾿ περιαλγῶν εἰ ἔμελλε δεσπόσειν
- 3
αὐτοῦ ἄλλος, οὐκ ἔφατο δώσειν, καὶ ᾧχετο ἀπιὼν
Ἁ i
ἐς τὴν ἔρημον, ἀναβὰς τὸν ἐλέφαντα. ἀγανακτεῖ
LA
ὃ βασιλεύς, καὶ πέμπει κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἀφαιρησο-
4
μένους καὶ ἅμα Kat τὸν ᾿Ϊνδὸν ἐπὶ τὴν δίκην ἄξον-

3 \ \ Ὁ 3 “~
Tas. ἐπεὶ de ἧκον, ἐπειρῶντο βίαν * προσφέρειν. -

οὐκοῦν καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔβαλλεν αὐτοὺς ἄνωθεν

καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὡς ἀδικούμενον συνημύνετο. καὶ ΠΣ
μέν πρῶτα ἦν τοιαῦτα" ἐπεὶ δὲ βληθεὶς ὃ ᾿Ινδὸς
κατώλισθε, περιβαίνει μὲν τὸν τροφέα 6 ἐλέφας
κατὰ τοὺς ὑπερασπίζοντας ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις, καὶ τῶν
ἐπιόντων πολλοὺς ἀπέκτεινε, τοὺς δὲ ious:

ἐτρέψατο". περιβαλὼν δὲ τῷ τροφεῖ τὴν προβοο-

ξ / 4 ~ .
ὑπολισθάνουσι τὴν πτῆσιν. 2 Reiske: πτερὸν δέ

206

ON ANIMALS, III. 45-46

falcons. But their method of dealing with hawks is a ana Hawks -

tale worth hearing. When the hawk, which is accus-
tomed to soar high in the air, gives chase, the Pigeons

lide and sink lower and attempt to reduce their
flight. When attacked however by some bird which
by nature flies at a lower level than they, the Pigeons

‘mount up and travel through the sky, and flying

overhead they have no fear, because the other cannot

harry them from above.

46. An Indian trainer finding a young white
Elephant took and reared it during its early years;
he gradually tamed it and used to ride upon it and
grew fond of his chattel, which returned his affection
and recompensed him for his fostering care. Now
the king of the Indies hearing of this, asked to be
given the animal. But the trainer in his affection
was jealous and even overcome with grief at the
thought of another man being its master, and declined
to give it up; and so, mounting the Elephant, he
went off into the desert. The king in his indigna-
tion despatched men to take the Elephant away and.
at the same time to bring the Indian to judgment.
When they arrived they attempted to apply force.
So the man struck at them from his mount, and the
beast helped to defend its master as he was being
injured. Such was the beginning of the affair. But
when the Indian was wounded and fell, the Elephant
bestrode its keeper after the manner of armed men
covering a comrade with their shields, slew many
of the attackers, and put the remainder to flight.
Then, winding its trunk round its keeper, it raised.

vO an nr
3 <nai> add. H. 4 Ges: πεῖραν.

207

A white

AELIAN

, . ” ' 2 \ \
Kida, αἴρει te αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὔλια κομίζει, -

καὶ παρέμεινεν ὡς φίλῳ φίλος πιστός, καὶ τὴν
εὔνοιαν ἐπεδείκνυτο. ὦ ἄνθρωποι πονηροὶ καὶ
περὶ τράπεζαν μὲν καὶ ταγήνου ψόφον Τάεί, ἐπ᾽
ἄριστά τε χορεύοντες, 7 1 ἐν δὲ τοῖς κινδύνοις
προδόται, καὶ μάτην καὶ ἐς οὐδὲν τὸ τῆς φιλίας
ὄνομα χαίνοντες.3

47, Δότε μοι τοὺ δοὺ ὃς τοῦ πατρῴ
Pies μοι τοὺς Tpay@dovs πρὸς TOD πατρῴου
wos καὶ πρὸ γε ἐκείνων τοὺς μυθοποιοὺς ἐρέσθαι
7 3 ἢ ~ ᾿
τί βουλόμενοι τοσαύτην ἄγνοιαν τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ
Λαΐου καταχέουσι τοῦ συνελθόντος τῇ μητρὶ τὴν
“ 7 \ lon i
δυστυχῆ σύνοδον, καὶ τοῦ Τηλέφου ὃ τοῦ μὴ
a e f τῷ
πειραθέντος μὲν τῆς ὁμιλίας, συγκατακλινέντος δὲ
s
TH γειναμένῃ Kat πράξαντος ἂν τὰ αὐτά, εἰ μὴ 4
a “a ¢ / :
co πομπῇ διεῖρξεν ὁ δράκων" εἴ γε ἡ φύσις τοῖς
,᾿,.
ἁ ὄγοις ζῴοις Τὴν τοιαύτην μίξιν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ
χρωτὸς ° δίδωσι κατανοῆσαι, καὶ οὐ δεῖται
9Q\ ~ >
γνωρισμάτων οὐδὲ τοῦ ἐκθέντος ἐς τὸν Κιθαιρῶνα 8
a ~ .: ἶ
οὐκ ἂν γοῦν ποτε τῇ τεκούσῃ ὁμιλήσειε 7 κάμηλος
ὃ δέ τοι νομεὺς τῆς ἀγέλ j Ἢ
Naa opevs τῆς ἀγέλης κατακαλύψας τὸν
ἥλυν ws οἱὸν Te ἦν καὶ ἀποκρύψας πάντα πλὴν
~ 4 “~ 3 ~~
τῶν ἄρθρων, τὸν παῖδα ἐπάγει τῇ μητρί, καὶ
- ¢ ‘ ¢ ~ “~
ἐκεῖνος λάθριος ὑπὸ ὁρμῆς τῆς πρὸς μίξιν ἔδρασε
τὸ Epyov καὶ συνῆκε. καὶ τὸν μὲν αἴτιον τῆς
~ ?
ὁμιλίας ot τῆς ἐκθέσμου δάκνων καὶ πατῶν καὶ
1 5.» 4 £ *
: - - + + Xopevovres corrupt, ἐπὶ ῥᾳστώνης Grasberger.
966 : χραΐνοντες.
καὶ τοῦ Τηλέφου after καταχέουσι MSS, t
Ο ransposed by H.
: Jac : εἰ μὴ πολλάκις. ἊΝ 7 a
> χρωτὸς προσαψαμένοις. |
Κιθαιρῶνα ὡς 6 Οἰδίπους 6 τοῦ Σοφοκλέους:
7 ὁμιλήσαι.

208

ON ANIMALS, III. 46-47

him and brought him to its-stable and stayed by his
side, as one trusty friend might do to another, thus
showing its kindly nature. on ἃ |

© wicked men, for ever busy (?) about the table
and the clash of frying-pans and dancing to your
lunch, but traitors in the hour of danger, in whose
mouth the word ‘ Friendship ’ is vain and of no effect.

47. In the name of Zeus our father, permit me to
ask the tragic dramatists and their predecessors, the
inventors of fables, what they mean by showering
such a flood of ignorance upon the son of Laius 4
who consummated that disastrous union with his
mother; and upon Telephus® who, without indeed
attempting union, lay with his mother and would
have done the same as Oedipus, had not a serpent
sent by the gods kept them apart, when Nature
allows unreasoning animals to perceive by mere con-
tact the nature of this union, with no need for tokens
nor for the presence of the man who exposed Oedipus
on Cithaeron. |

The Camel, for instance, would never couple with
its mother. Now the keeper of a herd of camels
covered up a female as far as possible, hiding all but
its parts, and then drove the son to its mother. The
beast, all unwitting, in its eagerness to copulate, did
the deed, then realised what it had done. It bit and
trampled on the man who was the cause of its un-

¢ Oedipus, after having unwittingly slain his father Laius,
married his widow locasta.

> Telephus, son of Heracles and Auge. According to one
story Teuthras king of Mysia, unaware of their relationship,
gave his daughter Auge in marriage to Telephus who was
equally unaware. 3 '

200

Examples
of incest

AELIAN

τοῖς γόνασι παΐων ἀπέκτεινεν ἀλγεινότατα, ἑαυτὸν
δὲ κατεκρήμνισεν. ἀμαθὴς δὲ καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο
Οἰδίπους, οὐκ ἀποκτείνας, ἀλλὰ πηρώσας τὴν
ὄψιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν κακῶν λύσιν μὴ γνοὺς ἐξὸν
ἀπηλλάχθαι καὶ μὴ τῷ οἴκῳ καὶ τῷ γένει κατα-
ρώμενον εἶτα μέντοι κακῷ ἀνηκέστῳ ἰᾶσθαι κακὰ

τὰ ἤδη παρελθόντα.

1 ἀποκτείνας <éavrdv> Schn.

- 210

ON ANIMALS, III. 47

lawful union, and kneeling on him put him to an
agonising death, and then threw itself over a
ipice. 7

ree here Oedipus was ill-advised in not killing
himself but blinding his eyes; in not realising how
to escape from his calamities when he might have
made away with himself instead of cursing his house
and his family ; and finally in seeking by an irremedi-
able calamity to remedy calamities already past.

211

er μὸν ἐκ Oe ee τὰν κα
παπόκλτν ων

7: "Ako / > ’ ¢
λαστότατοι ὀρνίθων of πέρδικές εἰσι.

a 2 \ -~ ~ “Ὁ
ταῦτά τοι καὶ τῶν θηλειῶν ἐρῶσι δριμύτατα, καὶ

“a 7 ¢ /
τῆς λαγνείας ἡττώμενοι συνεχέστατά εἰσιν οἵδε
A > ᾿
οὐκοῦν οἱ τρέφοντες τοὺς ἀθλητὰς πέρδικας, ὅταν
αὐτοὺς ἐς τὴν μάχην τὴν κατὰ ἀλλήλων ὑποθήγωσι
τὴν θήλειαν παρεστά Dow ἑκά :
, ρεστάναι ποιοῦσιν ἑκάστῳ τὴν σύν-
“~ /
νομον, σόφισμα τοῦτο δειλίας καὶ κάκης τῆς κατὰ
τὴν ἀγωνίαν ἀντίπαλον αὐτοῖς εὑρόντες. οὐ γάρ
Τ -Ἔ “~~
¢ ποὺ ἡττώμενος φανῆναι ἢ τῇ ἐρωμένῃ ἢ τῇ
γαμετῇ ὃ πέρδιξ ὑπομένει: τεθνήξεται δὲ μᾶλλον
πα U
ih eee 7] ὁμόσε χωροῦντος ἀποστραφεὶς ἰδεῖν
ρλμῆσει ταύτην ἀσχημόνως, παρ᾽ ἣ βούλεται
εὐδοκιμεῖν. τοῦτό ἱ Ares 8
yew. τοῦτό Tot Kal Kpfres ὑπὲρ τῶν
2
ιν ἫΝ ,evevoouv. ἀκούω γὰρ Ἰζρῆτα ἐραστὴν
3 \
ἀγαθὸν τὰ τε ἄλλα καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἔχειν μὲ
παιδικὰ εὐγενὲ Ἵ D Se
i yeves μειράκιον ὥρᾳ διαπρεπὲς καὶ τὴν
ὑχὴν avopetov καὶ πρὸς τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν μαθημά-
> A ~
a ,“πεφυκὸς εὖ καὶ καλῶς, καλούμενον δὲ δι
ἡλικίαν ἐς ὅπλα μηδέπω (εἶπόν γε μὴν ἀλλαχόθι
καὶ τοῦ ἐραστοῦ καὶ τοῦ καλοῦ τὸ ὄνομα). ἀρετὰς
ὲ ~ \ :
᾿ ν οὖν ἢ τῇ μάχῃ τὸν νεανίαν ἀποδείξασθαί 1
φασιν οἱ Ἀρῆτες, ἀθρόας δὲ ἐς αὐτὸν ὠθουμέ
τῆς τῶν ἐχθρῶν φάλ ῖ ἈΠΟ
ΤΣ χῦρ ayyos προσπταῖσαι νεκρῷ
εὐμένῳ, καὶ περιτραπῆναι λέγουσιν αὐτόν. τῶν
ς f ᾿
οὖν τις πολεμίων, ὃ μάλιστα πλησίον, ἄνατει-

1 Schn: ἀποδίδοσθαι.

214

᾿ : Racecar baw, ἡ od, EES care ge
tebe AASS ANIC SNe PA RAL Aa SELLA PEPTIDE AALS SLENBAL US INEO Cas a HONE U agi tee iedabcoceeneteis SO
7 (Aan πλμελαμοονοιμκακαικα ας τα ---νὔἌἔἜἔκέέεεσσ το ANAT:
προ ΚΆΘ ΨΥ ΤῊΝ BATA IAT

on!

BOOK IV

1. Partridges are the most incontinent: of birds; The |
Partridge

that is the reason for their passionate love of the
female birds and for their constant enslavement to
lust. So those that rear fighting Partridges, when
they egg them on to battle with one another, make
the female stand each by her mate, as they have
found this to be a device for countering any cowardice
or reluctance to fight. For the Partridge that is
defeated cannot endure to show himself either to his
loved one or to his spouse. He will sooner die under
the blows than turn away from his adversary and dare
in his disgrace to look upon her whose good opinion
he courts. |
The Cretans also have taken this view regarding
lovers. For I have heard that a Cretan lover, who
had beside other qualities that of a fine soldier, had
as his favourite a boy of good birth, conspicuous for
his beauty, of manly spirit, excellently fitted by
nature to imbibe the noblest principles, though on
account of his youth he was not yet called to arms.
I have elsewhere ὅ given the name of the lover and
of the beautiful boy.) Now the Cretans say that
the young man did acts of valour in the fight, but
when the enemy’s massed line pressed him hard,
he stumbled over a dead body that lay there and
was thrown down. Whereupon one of the enemy

¢ Not in any surviving work of Aelian’s.

215

Oretan
lovers

AELIAN

νάμενος παίειν ἔμελλε κατὰ τῶν μεταφρένων
τὸν ἄνδρα" ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς ᾿ μηδαμῶς ᾽ εἶπεν
αἰσχρὰν καὶ ἀναλκῆ + πληγὴν ἐπαγάγῃς, ἀλλὰ
κατὰ τῶν στέρνων ἀντίαν παῖσον, ἵνα μή μου
δειλίαν ὁ ἐρώμενος καταψηφίσηται, καὶ φυλάξηται
περιστεῖλαΐ με νεκρόν, καὶ μάλα γε ἀσχημονοῦντι
προσελθεῖν οὐ τολμῶν.᾽ αἰδεσθῆναι μὲν οὖν ἀνθρω-

Ed
“ \
πον ὄντα φανῆναι κακὸν οὔπω θαυμαστόν-

πέρδικι δὲ μετεῖναι αἰδοῦς ὑπέρσεμνον τοῦτο ἐκ
τῆς φύσεως τὸ δῶρον. ᾿Αριστόδημος δὲ ὃ τρέσας
καὶ Κλεώνυμος ὁ ῥίψας τὴν ἀσπίδα καὶ ὁ δειλὸς
[Πείσανδρος οὔτε τὰς πατρίδας ἠδοῦντο οὔτε τὰς
γαμετὰς οὔτε τὰ παιδία.

2. Ἔν Ἔρυκι τῆς Σικελίας ἑορτή ἐστιν, ἣν
καλοῦσιν ' Αναγώγια ᾿Ερυκῖνοί τε αὐτοὶ "ead
μέντοι καὶ ὅσοι ev TH Σικελίᾳ πάσῃ. ἡ δὲ αἰτία
τοῦ τῆς ἑορτῆς ὀνόματος, τὴν ᾿Αφροδίτην λέ-

. > ~ 3
γουσιν ἐντεῦθεν ἐς Λιβύην ἀπαίρειν ἐν ταῖσδε ταῖς

4 ἤ Se \ » “
ἡμέραις. δοξάζουσι δὲ ἄρα ταῦτα ταύτῃ 3 τεκμαι-

7
dae περιστερῶν πλῆθός ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα πάμ-
~ € 4 ~
πλείστον. οὐκοῦν at μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶνται, λέγουσι δὲ

᾿ Ἢ; “A 4 A 7
ρυκῖνοι τὴν θεὸν δορυφορούσας ἀπελθεῖν: ἀθύρ-

nee ,
ματα γὰρ «Ἀφροδίτης περιστερὰς εἶναι ἀδουσί τε
ἐκείνοι καὶ πεπιστεύκασι πάντες ἄνθρωποι. διελ-
θουσῶν δὲ ἡμερῶν ἐννέα μί :
ἡμερῶν ἐννέα μίαν μὲν διαπρεπῇ τὴ
ὥραν ἔκ γε τοῦ πελά 5 Τοῦτος fete
γε τοῦ πελάγους τοῦ κομίζοντος ἐκ τῆς

1 . tt
Jac: ἀνάλκη, ἄναλκιν. 2 ταύτῃ ἐκεῖθεν

et err,

* A Spartan who owing to sickness
was absent
battle of Thermopylae. Later, at Plataea, he aia a
ara See Hdt. 7.229-32; 9. 71, :
21

ON ANIMALS, IV. 1-2

who was nearest, in his eagerness was about to
strike him in the back. But the man turned and
exclaimed ‘ Do-not deal me a shameful and cowardly
Ῥίον, but strike me in front, in the breast, in order
that my loved one may not judge me guilty of
cowardice and refrain from laying out my dead body :
he could not bear to go near one who so disgraces
himself.’ :

There is nothing wonderful in a man being ashamed
to appear a coward, but that a Partridge should have
some feeling of shame, this is a truly impressive gift
of Nature. But Aristodemus the timid,? and Cleo-
nymus who threw away his shield,’ and Pisander the
craven,¢ had no reverence for their country or for their
wives or for their children. |

2. At Eryx in Sicily there is a festival which The Pigeons
not only the people of Eryx but everybody dite at Eryx

throughout the whole of Sicily as well eall the
‘Festival of the Embarkation.’ And the reason
why the festival is so called is this: they say that
during these days Aphrodite sets out thence for
Libya. They adduce in support of their belief the
following circumstance. There is there an immense
multitude of Pigeons. Now these disappear, and the
people of Eryx assert that they have gone as an
escort to the goddess, for they speak of Pigeons as
‘ pets of Aphrodite,’ and so everybody believes them
to be. But after nine days one bird of conspicuous
beauty is seen flying in from the sea which brings it

> A frequent butt of Aristophanes.

¢ Athenian demagogue, end of 5th cent., lampooned by
Comic poets for his bulk, his rapacity, and his cowardice.
Helped to establish the rule of the Four Hundred.

217

AELIAN

Λιβύης ὁρᾶσθαι ἐ 3

paola ἐσπετομένην, οὐχ οἵ, 1 τὰ

ΠΝ ομένην, οὐχ οἵαν κατὰ τὰς

aie uddas τὰς λοιπὰς εἶναι, πορφυρᾶν

Oc; ὥσπερ οὖν τὴν ᾿Αφροδίτην ὁ Τήιος ἡμῖ

Avaxpéwy dde, "ἡ env’ 1 re
pea ἄδει, πορφυρέην᾽ + mov λέγων. καὶ

χρυσῷ δὲ εἰκασμένη φανείη & L τοῦτό ᾿

ee ee ἢ av, καὶ τοῦτό ye κατὰ

> -
ἣν Opnpov θεὸν τὴν αὐτήν, ἣν ἐκεῖνος ἀναμέλπει

e 3 .
υσῆν".. A tens “~ ~
χρυσῆ ἔπεται δὲ αὐτῇ τῶν περιστερῶν τὰ νέφη.

T ῷ ν ~ 4 ε x
se λοιπῶν, καὶ ἑορτὴ πάλιν Ἔρυκίνοις καὶ
nyupis τὰ Καταγώγια,Σ ἐκ τοῦ ἔ ὶ
νήγυρις : ἔργου καὶ
τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα.

4 4
3. Λύκω συννόμω καὶ ἵππω, λέοντέ γε μὴ
οὐκέτι- λέαινα ya L λέ > τῇ Ge ee
DET LE yap Kat λέων od τὴν αὐτὴν i
οὗτε ἐπὶ θήραν 3 οὔ ) diego
age ραν " οὔτε πιόμενοι. τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, τῇ
ov U
Ne ΡΣ ῥώμῃ θαρροῦντε 4 ἄμφω εἶτα οὐ
ἀτέρου ὁ ETEpos, ὡς φασιν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι.

4. Οὐ ῥᾳδίως οἱ λύκοι τὴ |

. ως οἱ 2 Qa >

Fs pat ee ε τὴν ὠδῖνα ἀπολύουσιν,

"ΠῚ μέραις δώδεκα καὶ νυξὶ τοσαύταις, ἐπεὶ
cout χρόνῳ τὴν Λητὼ ἐς Δῆλον ἐξ Ὕπερβο-

ρέων ἐλθεῖν Δήλιοί φασιν.

ὅ. Ζῷα ὃ πολέ
Ζῷα πολέμια χελώνη τε καὶ πέρδιξ, καὶ
πελαργὸς καὶ κρὲξ πρὸς αἴ ὶ "καὶ
Το τ ut κρὲξ πρὸς αἴθυιαν <kat>® ἅρπη καὶ
ρῳδιὸς πρὸς λάρον: κορυδαλλὸς δὲ ἀκανθυλλίδι
νοεῖ πολέμια, τρυγό δὲν 7 IS 1
ολέμια, τρυγόνι de>? πρὸς πυραλλίδα 8
διαφορά, ἰκτῖνός γε μὴ L KO 1 f |
γε μὴν καὶ κόραξ ἐχθροί: σειρὴν
ΡΣ
ewke: τὰ καταγώ 4
: rice γώγια πανήγυρις.
θαρροῦ re most MSS, Bappod:
5 ζῷα ἀλλήλοις. p RRs
8 <xat> add. Η.
218

GURL ELAS IMIS T SEI

fae ferns.
Rr sso!

ON ANIMALS, IV. 2-5

from Libya: it isnot like the other Pigeons in a flock
but is rose-coloured, just as Anacreon of Teos de-
scribes Aphrodite, styling her somewhere [ fr. 2.3 Ὁ]
‘yoseate.’ And the bird might also be compared to
gold, for this too is like the same goddess of whom
Homer sings as‘ golden’ [1]. 5. 427]. And after the
bird follow the other Pigeons in clouds, and again
there is a festal gathering for the people of Eryx,
the ‘ Festival of the Return’; the name is derived
from the event. |

3. The Wolf.and the she-Wolf feed together, like- Lion and

Lioness however do not, for the Lioness and the Lion
do not follow the same track either hunting or when
drinking. And the reason is that both derive con-
fidence from their bodily strength, so that neither has
need of the other, as older writers assert.

_wise the Horse and: the Mare; the Lion and the ae

4. Wolves are not easily delivered of their young, The Wolf

only after twelve days and twelve nights, for the
people of Delos maintain that this was the length of
time that it took Leto to travel from the Hyper-
boreans to Delos. .

5. Animals hostile to one another: the Tortoise Animal

and the Partridge; the Stork and the Corncrake to
the Sea-gull; the Shearwater and the Heron to the
Sea-mew. The Crested Lark feels enmity towards
the Goldfinch; the Turtle-dove disagrees with the
Pyrallis;* the Kite too and the Raven are enemies ;

¢ Perhaps a kind of pigeon.
a
7 <8é> add. H. 8 πῦρραν.

enmities

AELIAN

4 / : ; fos. | 4 ~*~
δὲ 1 πρὸς κίρκην, κίρκη δὲ πρὸς κίρκον οὐ τῷ γένει
7ὔ 3 4 4 ~ 7 - 7
μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ φύσει διαφέροντε πεφώρασθον.

Χάννη δὲ ἐχθὺς λαγνίστατος. λευκοὺς δὲ μῦρ-

- “- “ 3 : :
μηκας ev Deve? τῆς Λακωνικῆς ἀκούειν πάρε-
στιν. | τ᾿

6. Τοὺς ἵππους ἕλεσί τε καὶ λειμῶσι καὶ τοῖς
κατηνέμοις χωρίοις ἥδεσθαι μᾶλλον ἱπποτροφίας
τε καὶ πωλοτροφικῆς ἄνθρωποι σοφισταὶ ὁμολο--.

΄“- " \ 3 \ *~ 4
γοῦσιν. ἔνθεν τοι καὶ “Ὅμηρος ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν δεινὸς
ὧν καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα συνιδεῖν ἔφη που.

. τῷ τρισχίλιαι ἵπποι ἕλος κάτα βουκολέοντο.

ἐξηνεμῶσθαι δὲ ἵππους πολλάκις ἱπποφορβοὶ

τεκμηριοῦσι καὶ κατὰ τὸν νότον ἢ τὸν βορρᾶν
; > εν ἱ -
φεύγειν. εἰδότα οὖν τὸν αὐτὸν ποιητὴν εἰπεῖν

᾽ ᾿ , > ,
τάων καὶ Βορέης ἠράσσατο βοσκομενάων.

ν 23. πὲς Ὁ ᾿ a ae, y
καὶ ᾿Αριστοτέλης δέ, ὡς ἐμὲ νοεῖν, λαβὼν ἐντεῦθεν

4 “A . ᾿
εὐθὺ τῶν προειρημένων ἀνέμων οἰστρηθείσας δι-

7
δράσκειν 8 ἔφατο αὐτάς. |

> 7 4 ~
1. ᾿Ακούω τὸν Σκυθῶν βασιλέα (τὸ δὲ ὄνομα
20. 7A ,ὔ la
εἰδὼς ἐῶ" τί γάρ μοι καὶ λυσιτελές ἐστιν ;) ἵππον
/ lad
σπουδαίαν ἔχειν πᾶσαν ἀρετήν, ὅσην ἵπποι καὶ
> ~ ᾿
ἁπαιτοῦνται καὶ ἀποδείκνυνται, ἔχειν δὲ καὶ υἱὸν
7A 3 ’ὔ “~ ~ :
αὐτῆς ἐκείνης τῶν ἄλλων ἀρετῇ διαπρέποντα.
ΟΣ σειρὴν μελίσσης ὄνομα.
ἀποδιδράσκειν. |
a ne eee ee ͵͵ ς ττἝτἝἕἝἕἝἕἣὯἣ'͵ῬῬΣῬἝὍῬὋἝὌῬΓῬ[ῤὖϑἷ:ὀὁ
* Probably the Serin-finch.
Ὁ The Circe has not been identified.

2 Πέφνῳ Venmans.

220

ON ANIMALS, IV. 5-7

the Siren 5 and the Circe ὃς the Circe and the oe
have been found to be at variance not only in the

of sex but in their nature.
ie Seaperch is the most lecherous of fishes. In eee
Pheneus in Laconia® one may hear tell of white

Ants.

8. Men skilled in the breeding and care of pers The Horse
agree that Horses are most fond of marshy Sogou
meadows, and wind-swept spots. eee se :
Homer, who in my opinion had a ae | "Ἢ Ἢ
ledge of such matters, saying somewhere [J/. 20.

_ © For him three thousand mares grazed along the
water-meadow.’ |

| : j Mares being: Mares im-
Rad no πε ἘΠ πο (Pe
Ξ ἀπ the south or the north wind. And the same
poet knew this when he said [Z1. 20. 2.23 | | |
"© Of them was Boreas enamoured as they pastured.

‘Axis i him, said
Aristotle too, borrowing (as I think) from >
(HA 515 a 16] that they rush away in frenzy straight
in the face of the aforesaid winds.

that the King of the Scythians (his Example of
eee ae suppress, foe I have nothing to ee ae
by it) possessed a mare remarkable for every ee
lence which is expected of horses and for bias es
are displayed; and that he possessed also a 108) of

i iting Paus. 3. 26.

é us was in Arcadia. Venmans, cl
2,3 ena peony μὰ ἀπονι a place in Laconia at wn Seni
of the Messenian Gulf. It was also the name te ee y ah
at the mouth of the Pamisus; see Frazer on aus. loc, cit.
The ‘ white ants.’ are fabulous. eee

νων τῆς ἀρίστης ἐρασθῆ wv ὗ ἥ
. THS ἐρασύηναι τὸν ὑπποκόμον, ὠσπερ᾽

AELIAN

οὔκουν εὑρίσκοντα οὔτε ἐκείνην ἄλλῳ παραβα-
λεῖν ἀξίῳ, οὔτε ἐκεῖνον ἄλλῃ ἐπαγαγεῖν τὸ ἐξ
αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν σπέρμα ἀγαθῇ, διὰ ταῦτα ἄμφω
συναγαγεῖν ἐς τὸ ἔργον: τοὺς δὲ τὰ μὲν ἕτερα
ἀσπάζεσθαι σφᾶς καὶ φιλοφρονεῖσθαι, οὐ μὴν
ἐγχρίμπτεσθαι ἀλλήλοις. οὐκοῦν ἐπεὶ τῆς ἐπι-
ουλῆς τοῦ Σκύθου σοφώτερα ἦν τὰ ζῷα, ἐπηλύ-
γασεν ipariots καὶ τὸν καὶ τήν, καὶ ἐξειργάσαντο
τὸ ἐκνομόν τε καὶ ἔκδικον ἐκεῖνο ἔργον. ὡς δὲ
ἄμφω συνεῖδον τὸ πραχθέν, εἶτα μέντοι τὸ ἀσέβημα
διελύσαντο θανάτῳ, πηδήσαντε κατὰ K 5.
, ρημνοῦ..

, 2} :
8. Λέγει Ἐὔδημος ἵππου νέας καὶ τῶν νεμομέ-

οὖν καλῆς μείρακος καὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ ὡρικωτέ-
pas πασῶν: καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα ἐγκαρτερεῖν,
τελευτῶντα δὲ ἐπιτολμῆσαι τῷ λέχει τῷ ἕένῳ καὶ
ὁμιλεῖν αὐτῇ . τῇ δὲ εἶναι πῶλον καὶ τοῦτον
καλόν, θεασάμενόν γε μὴν τὸ πραττόμενον ἀλγῆσαι
ὥσπερ οὖν τυραννουμένης τῆς μητρὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ
δεσπότου, καὶ ἐμπηδῆσαι καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν
ἄνδρα, εἶτα μέντοι καὶ φυλάξαι ἔνθα ἐτάφη, καὶ
ὀυιτῶντα ἀνορύττειν αὐτόν, καὶ ἐνυβρίζειν τῷ
νεκρῷ καὶ λυμαίνεσθαι λύμην ποικίλην."

_ 9. Τῶν ἰχθύων διὰ τοῦ ἦρος οἱ πλεῖστοι és?
ἀφροδίτην ° πρόθυμοΐ εἰσι, καὶ ἀποκρίνουσί γε
αὑτοὺς ἐς τὸν IIdvrov. μᾶλλον: ἔχει γάρ πως
θαλάμας τε καὶ κοίτας, φύσεως ταῦτα ἰχθύσι ἃ τὰ
δῶρα: ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίων ἐλεύθερός ἐστιν ὅσα

1 , 3 3 ᾿
ποικίλην οὐκ αἰσθανομένῳ ἀλγοῦντα αὐτόν.

222

ON ANIMALS, IV. 7-9

_ this same mare which surpassed all others in its ex-

cellence. Being unable to find either another worthy
mate for the mare or another mare fit to be impreg-

nated by the foal, he therefore put the two together

for that purpose. They caressed each other in various
ways and were friendly disposed, but refused to

couple. So as the animals were too clever for the

Scythian’s scheme, he blindfolded both mare and foal

with cloths, and they accomplished the act so contrary ᾿

tolaw and morality. But when the pair realised what
they had done, they atoned for their impious deed by
death and threw themselves over a precipice.

8. Eudemus records how a groom fell in love with Groom in
love with

a young mare, the finest of the herd, as it might have Mare

been a beautiful girl, the loveliest of all thereabouts.
And at first he restrained himself, but finally dared
to consummate a strange union. Now the mare had
a foal, and a fine one, and when it saw what was hap-
pening it was pained, just as though its mother were
being tyrannically treated by her master, and it
leaped upon the man and killed him. And it even
went so far as to watch where he was buried, went
to the place, dug up the corpse, and outraged it by
inflicting every kind of injury. ,

9. The majority of Fishes are eager for sexual
intercourse throughout the springtime, and withdraw
for choice to the Black Sea, for it contains caverns

Fish in the

season

and resting-places which are Nature’s gift to Fishes. -

Besides, its waters are free from the savage creatures

a RA -ς-:.-.----

2 ἐς (eis) om. AL. 8 χὴν ἀφροδίτην.
4 Jac: ἰχθύσιν ὁ Ἰϊόντος.

223

AELIAN —

βόσκει θάλαττα. SeAdives δὲ ἀἁλῶνται μόνοι,
f
λεπτοί τε καὶ aobevixoi: καὶ μὴν Kat πολύπου

m + >. »"
χῆρός ἐότι καὶ παγούρου ἄγονος, καὶ ἀστακὸν οὐ

τρέφει" μικρῶν δὲ ἰχθύων οἵδε ᾿ὄλεθρός εἰσιν.3

10. Πυνθάνομαι σελήνης ὑποφαινομένης νέας
τοὺς ἐλέφαντας κατά τινα φυσικὴν καὶ ἀπόρρητον
ἔννοιαν ἐκ τῆς ὕλης ἐν ἡ νέμονται νεοδρεπεῖς
ἀφελόντας κλάδους εἶτα μέντοι μετεώρους ἀνατεί-
νειν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θεὸν ἀναβλέπειν, καὶ ἡσυχῇ
τοὺς κλάδους ὑποκινεῖν, οἷον ἱκετηρίαν τινὰ ταύτην
τῇ θεῷ προτείνοντας ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἵλεων τε καὶ εὐμενῆ
τὴν θεόν γε εἶναι αὐτοῖς. 7 *

11, Movas ἀκούω τῶν ζῴων τὰς ἵππους Kat
κυούσας ὑπομένειν τὴν τῶν ἀρρένων μίξιν: εἶναι
γὰρ λαγνιστάτας. διὰ ταῦτά τοι καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν
τὰς ἀκολάστους ὑπὸ τῶν -σσεμνοτέρως αὐτὰς
εὐθυνόντων καλεῖσθαι ἵππους. A

12. Οἱ πέρδικες ἐν τοῖς wots οἰκοῦντες ἔτι καὶ
κατειλημμένοι τοῖς περιπεφυκόσι σφίσιν ὀστρά-
κοις οὐκ ἀναμένουσι τὴν ἐκ τῶν γειναμένων
ἐκγλυφήν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοὶ δι’ ἑαυτῶν ὥσπερ θυροκο-
ποῦντες διακρούουσι 5 τὰ Oa, καὶ ἐκκύψαντες εἶτα
σφᾶς αὐτοὺς 8 ἀνωθοῦσι, καὶ τὸ τοῦ dot λέμμα
περιρρήξαντες ἤδη θέουσι, καὶ τὸ πρὸς τῷ οὐραίῳ
ἡμίτομον, εἰ προσέχοιτο, διασεισάμενοι ἐκβάλ-
λουσιν αὐτό, καὶ τροφὴν μαστεύουσι, καὶ πηδῶσιν
ὠκίστα; fe ead! CAE ae ae

1 . 3 Ane τὰ :
Gron: ἐστιν. 2 Mein’: éxxpovovo. Mss, Η.

224

ON ANIMALS, IV. 9-12

which the sea breeds. Only dolphins roam there,
and they are smalland feeble. Moreover it is devoid
of octopuses ; it produces no crabs and does not breed.
lobsters: these are the bane of small fishes.

10. Iam informed that when the new moon begins Lace
to appear, Elephants by some natural and un- Moon
explained act of intelligence pluck fresh branches
from: the forest where they feed and then raise them
aloft and look upwards at the goddess, waving the
branches gently to and fro, as though they were
offering her in a sense a suppliant’s olive-branch in
the hope that she will prove kindly and benevolent to

them.

11. I have heard that Mares are the only animals The Mare
which when pregnant allow the male to have inter-
course with them. For Mares are exceedingly lust-
ful, and that is why strict censors call lecherous
women ‘ mares.’

12. Partridges while still in the egg and confined 7 κεμᾶρο
by the shell that has formed around them do not wait its young’ .
for their parents to hatch them out, but alone and
unaided, like house-breakers, peck through the eggs, .
peep out, and then lever themselves up, and then
after cracking the egg-shell begin at once to run.

And if half the shell is clinging to their tail they
shake it off and cast it from them; and they hunt

for food and dart about at great speed.

ate ee a Bee gr τον τς πος eet
8 ἑαυτούς.
225
VOL.I. | I

ress ALES Sst 128 ef ESHA) BELINDA NS iB BRAD SEUSS SCID LEP SD SEDSLN ESI NS SEEDS RUSS ΡΣ ΣΝ

AELIAN

13. Τῶν περδίκων of τοροί τε καὶ φδικοὶ TH
[͵ ε

σφετέρᾳ θαρροῦσιν εὐγλωττίᾳ: καὶ οἱ μαχητικοὶ
δὲ καὶ ἀγωνιστικοὶ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι πεπιστεύκασιν ὅτι
μή εἰσιν ἄξιοι παρανάλωμα γενέσθαι τεθηραμένοι:
καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἁλισκόμενοι ἧττον πρὸς τοὺς
θηρῶντας διαμάχονται ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ἁλῶναι. ot
δὲ ἄλλοι, καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον οἱ Kippator, συνεγνωκότες
ἑαυτοῖς οὔτε. ἀλκὴν ἀγαθοῖς οὔτε ddew, καλῶς δὲ
διεγνωκότες ὅτι ἄρα ἁλόντες ἔσονται δεῖπνον Tots
ἠἡρηκόσι, παλαμῶνταΐ τινι σοφίᾳ φυσικῇ ἑαυτοὺς
aBpwrovs παρασκευάσαι: καὶ τῆς μὲν ἄλλης
τροφῆς, ἥτις αὐτοὺς εὐφραΐνει τε καὶ πιαΐνει,
ἀπέχονται, σκόροδα δὲ σιτοῦνται προθυμότατα.
οἱ τοίΐυν ταῦτα προμαθόντες ἐσπείσαντο πρὸς
αὐτοὺς ἑκόντες ἀθηρίαν: ὅστις δὲ τῇ τούτων ἄγρᾳ
οὐ προενέτυχε, συλλαβὼν καὶ καθεψήσας ἀπώλεσε
καὶ τὸν χρόνον καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς σπουδήν, πονη-
ροῦ κρέως πειραθείς.

14. Κακὸν θηρίον ἡ γαλῆ, κακὸν δὲ καὶ ὁ ὄφις.
οὐκοῦν ὅταν μέλλῃ yadh ὄφει μάχεσθαι, πήγανον
διατραγοῦσα πρότερον εἶτα μέντοι ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην
θαρροῦσα 5 ὥσπερ οὖν πεφραγμένη τε καὶ ὦπλισ-
μένη παραγίνεται. τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, τὸ πήγανον πρὸς
ὄφιν ἔχθιστόν ἐστιν.

ξ : - ‘ ~
15. Ὃ λύκος ἐμπλησθεὶς ἐς κόρον οὐδ᾽ ἂν τοῦ

- ? 4 4 3 .
βραχίστου τὸ λοιπὸν ἀπογεύσαιτο' παρατείνεται ὃ

μὲν γὰρ ἡ γαστὴρ τῷδε, οἰδαίνει δὲ ἡ γλῶττα,

> , a
καὶ TO στόμα ἐμφράγνυται, πραότατος δὲ ἐντυχεῖν

1 in -» =a a ὃ θ 7 Ρ. ὅν, «ἣν td es | ~
1 ἁλῶναι ὅτι yap σπουδασθήσονται καὶ οἵδε πιστεύοῦσι καὶ τῇ
ἔμ
μάχῃ καὶ τῇ φδῇ.
226

ON ANIMALS, IV. 13-15

13. Partridges that utter clear, musical tones are The

confident in their vocal skill. So too the fighting
birds which compete feel certain that when captured
they will not be regarded as merely fit for sacrifice.
And that is why when caught they struggle less
against their pursuers in order to avoid capture.
But the rest, and especially the Partridges of Cirrha,
conscious that they possess neither strength nor
ability to sing, and knowing full well that if caught
they will furnish a meal for their captors, do their
utmost, prompted by some natural intelligence, to
render themselves unfit for eating. And they ab-
stain from other food which delights and fattens them

and feed most eagerly upon garlic. Hence those

who are already aware of these facts have willingly.
agreed that they should be immune from pursuit.
Whereas a man who has not previously chanced to
hunt them, if he catches and cooks them, has wasted
his time and his pains over them, when he finds their
flesh disgusting.

14. The Marten is an evil creature, and an evil opty and

creature is the Snake. And so when a Marten means
to fight with a Snake, it chews some rue beforehand
and then goes out boldly to battle, as though fortified
and armed. The reason is that to a Snake rue is
utterly abhorrent. |

15. The Wolf when gorged to satiety will not there- ae ole
after taste the least morsel. For his belly is dis- full fed

tended, his tongue swells, his mouth is blocked, and

_he is gentle as a lamb to meet, and would have no

; θαρροῦσα V, del. H, διαθαρροῦσα ἐπὶ τὴν μ. most MSS.
πέρι-. 4 οἰδάνει ἢ.

227

AELIAN

? > a Q? > ¢
ἐστιν ἀμνοῦ δίκην, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐπιβουλεύσειεν 1

ἀνθρώπῳ ἢ θρέμματι, οὐδὲ εἰ τῆς ἀγέλης βαδίζοι

μέσος. μειοῦται δὲ ἡσυχῆ καὶ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον ἡ

>
γλῶττα αὐτῷ, εἶτα ἐς τὸ ἀρχαῖον σχῆμα ἐπάνεισι,

ON ANIMALS, IV. 15-16

designs on man or beast, even were he to walk through
the middle of a flock. Gradually however and little
by little his tongue shrinks and resumes its former
shape, and he becomes once more ἃ wolf.

Kat λύκος γίνεται αὖθις.
“ 16. Cockerels all tread a newcomer to the flock, The

and tame Partridges do the same to the latest ra

16. ᾿Αλεκτρυόνες ἐν ἀγέλῃ τὸν νέηλυν ὃ ava-
βαίνουσι πάντες. καὶ οὗ τιθασοὶ δὲ πέρδικες τὸν
ἥκοντα πρῶτον καὶ οὔπω πεπραῦσμένον τὰ αὐτὰ
δρῶσιν. ἀμειβόμενοι δὲ ot “πέρδικες τοὺς τρέφον-
τας καὶ αὐτοὶ παλεύουσι τοὺς ἀφέτους καὶ ἀγρίους,
κατὰ τὰς περιστερὰς δρῶντες καὶ οὗτοι τοῦτο.
προσάγεται δὲ ἄρα ὁ πέρδιξ καὶ σειρῆνας ἐς. τὸ
ἐφολκὸν προτείνει τὸ τῶν ἄλλων τὸν τρόπον
τοῦτον. ἕστηκεν ἄδων 8 καὶ ἔστιν οἱ τὸ μέλος
προκλητικόν, ἐς μάχην ὑποθῆγον τὸν ὄγριον,
ἕστηκε δὲ ἐλλοχῶν πρὸς τῇ πάγῃ: ὁ δὲ 4 τῶν
ἀγρίων κορυφαῖος ἀντάσας πρὸ τῆς ἀγέλης μαχού-
μενος ἔρχεται. ὁ τοίνυν τιθασὸς ἐπὶ πόδα ἁ ἀναχω-
ρεῖ δεδιέναι σκηπτόμενος" ὁ δὲ ἔπεισι γαῦρος,
ofa 5 δήπου κρατῶν ἤδη, καὶ ἑάλωκεν ἐνσχεθεὶς
τῇ πάγῃ. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν q ἄρρην. ὁ τοῖς ,θηράτροις
περιπεσών, πειρῶνται ἐπικουρεῖν οἱ σύννομοι τῷ
ἑαλωκότι: ἐὰν δὲ ἢ i) θῆλυς, παίουσι τὸν ἐνσχεθέντα
ἄλλος ἀλλαχόθεν, ὡς διὰ τὴν λαγνείαν ἐς δουλείαν
ἐμπεσόντα. καὶ ἐκεῖνο δὲ οὐ παρήσω, ἐπεὶ καὶ
ἄξιον ἀκοῦσαι αὐτό. ἐὰν 7 θῆλυς ὁ παλεύων, ἵνα
μὴ ἐμπέσῃ ὁ ἄρρην, αἱ ἔξω θήλειαι μέλος ἀντῳδὸν
ἠχοῦσι, καὶ ῥύονται τὸν ἐμπεσούμενον ἐς τὴν πά-
γὴν ταῖς συννόμοις καὶ πλείοσιν ἀσμένως συμπα-

1 ἐπιβουλεύσαι.
2 νέηλυν οὔσης θηλειῶν ἀπορίας.
228

arrival as yet untamed. And Partridges even requite
their own parents by decoying those that are free and
wild, acting in this respect just like pigeons. Now.
this is the way in which the Partridge draws them to
him and displays the arts of a Siren to allure others.
He stands uttering his cry, and his tune conveys a
challenge, provoking the wild bird to fight; and he
stands in ambush by the springe. Then the cock of

- the wild birds answers back and advances to do battle

on behalf of his covey. So the tame bird withdraws,
pretending to be afraid, while the other advances
vaunting as though he were already victorious, is
caught in the snare, and is captured. Now if it is a
cock bird that falls into the trap, his companions
attempt to bring help to the captive; but if it is a

hen, one here and another there beats the captive for

allowing her lust to bring her into slavery.

And here is a point that I will not omit, for it
deserves attention. If the decoy-bird is a hen, the
wild hens, in order to prevent the cock from falling
into the trap, counter the challenge with their cries
and rescue the cock that is about to be trapped, for
he is glad to stay with those who are his mates and

3 ἄδων 6 πρᾶος. 4 δή..
5 Reiske: ws οἷα. 6 Retske: παραμένων.

229

AELIAN

; , Les “vo” ; ἐν θέ ‘. 4 75
βάμενοντα, Ws ἂν wyyet TLE ε x EVTQA Vat μα Δί

ἐρωτικῆῇ.

17. Ἕν τῶν βασκάνων ζῴων᾽ μέντοι καὶ ἐχῖνος

- / ~
ὁ χερσαῖος εἶναι πεπίστευται. ὅταν γοῦν ἁλίσκη-
Tal, παραχρῆμα ἐνεούρησε 5. τῷ δέρματι, καὶ
3 nm > s. tae 4 ὃ A ὃ \ > ‘
ἀχρεῖον ἀπέφηνεν αὐτό: δοκεῖ δὲ ἐς πολλὰ
ἐπιτήδειον. καὶ ἡ λύγξ δὲ ἀποκρύπτει τὸ οὖρον"
Ψ “Ὁ “
ὅταν γὰρ παγῇ, λίθος γίνεται, καὶ γλυφαῖς ἐπιτή-
: a ,ὔ :
detds ἐστι, καὶ τοῖς γυναικείοις κόσμοις συμμάχε-
ται, pacity?

18. Λεοντοφόνου φαγὼν 6 λέων ἀποτέθνηκε.

4 \ 4 / > > / 3 ,ὔ
τὰ δὲ ἔντομα φθείρεται, εἰ ἐλαΐῳ τις ἐγχρίσειεν
αὐτά. γυπῶν γε μὴν τὸ μύρον ὄλεθρός ἐστι.
7 A > “a. 3 > ὔ ~ ef
κάνθαρον δὲ ἀπολεῖς, εἰ ἐπιβάλοις τῶν ῥόδων
αὐτῷ.

19. Kdves ᾿Ινδικοί, θηρία καὶ οἵδε εἰσὶ καὶ
ἀλκὴν ἄλκιμα καὶ ψυχὴν θυμοειδέστατα καὶ τῶν
πανταχόθεν κυνῶν μέγιστοι. καὶ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων
ζῴων ὑπερῴφρονοῦσι, λέοντι δὲ ὁμόσε χωρεῖ κύων
᾿Ινδικός, καὶ ἐγκείμενον ὑπομένει, καὶ βρυχωμένῳ
ἀνθυλακτεῖ, καὶ ἀντιδάκνει δάκνοντα: καὶ πολλὰ
αὐτὸν λυπήσας καὶ κατατρώσας, τελευτῶν ἡττᾶται
6 κύων. εἴη δ᾽ ἂν καὶ λέων ἡττηθεὶς ὑπὸ κυνὸς
᾿Ινδοῦ, καὶ μέντοι καὶ δακὼν 6 κύων ἔχεται καὶ
μάλα ἐγκρατῶς. κἂν προσελθὼν μαχαίρᾳ τὸ
σκέλος ἀποκόπτῃς τοῦ κυνός, ὃ δὲ οὐκ ἄγει
σχολὴν ἀλγήσας ἀνεῖναι τὸ δῆγμα, ἀλλὰ ἀπεκόπη

1 Retske: συνδραμόντα. 2 ἐνούρησε.
8 φασίν διὰ τῆς γλυφῆς. aa
230 |

ON ANIMALS, IV. 16-19

more numerous, seeming to be drawn by some spell
that is in truth love.

17. The Hedgehog too is believed to be one of the et
animals that show spite. Thus, when it is caught it
immediately makes water on its skin, so rendering it
unfit for use, though it is thought to serve many
purposes. The Lynx too hides its urine, for when it The Lynx
hardens it turns to stone @ and is suitable for engrav-
ing, and is one of the aids to female adornment, so

they say.

18. If a Lion eats a Lion’s-bane,? it dies. And in- oie
sects are destroyed if one drops oil on them. And to certain
perfumes are the death of Vultures. Beetles you will #™™*s

extirpate if you scatter roses on them.

19. The Hounds of India are. reckoned as wild fhe Tndian
animals; they are exceedingly strong and. fierce-
tempered, and are the largest dogs in the world. All
other animals they despise; but an Indian Hound
will engage with a lion and resist its onslaught, bark-
ing against its roar and giving bite for bite. Only
after much worrying and wounding of the lion is the
Hound finally overcome; and even a lion might be
overcome by an Indian Hound, for once it has bitten,
the Hound holds fast with might and main. And
even if you take a sword and cut off a Hounds leg,
it has no thought, in spite of its pain, of relaxing its

4 ‘The stone known as λυγγούριον was perhaps amber. The
word was derived from λύγξ and οὖρον.

> In [Arist.] Mir. 845 a 28 it appears as a Syrian animal
that was supposed to poison lions; to hunters who killed,
cooked, and ate it it was equally fatal; cp. Plin. ΝΗ ἃ. 38.
But L-S* regard it as an insect.

231

AELIAN

5 | f : A ? »
μὲν πρότερον τὸ σκέλος, νεκρὸς δὲ ἀνῆκε τὸ στόμα,
- 4 3 “Ὁ “
καὶ κεῖται βιασθεὶς ἀποστῆναι τῷ θανάτῳ. ἃ δὲ
7 “A ᾿
προσήκουσα,Ϊ ἐρῶ ἀλλαχόθι.

20. ᾿Ανθρώπου μόνου καὶ κυνὸς κορεσθέντων
ἀναπλεῖ ἡ τροφή. καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἀνθρώπου ἡ
καρδία τῷ μαζῷ τῷ λαιῷ προσήρτηται, τοῖς γέ
μὴν ἄλλοις ζῴοις ἐν μέσῳ τῷ στήθει προσπέπλα-
σται. γαμμμώνυχον δὲ dpa οὐδὲ ἕν οὔτε πίνει
οὔτε οὐρεῖ οὔτε μὴν συναγελάζεται ἑτέροις.

, 3 ιν ᾿
21. Θηρίον Ἰνδικὸν. βίαιον τὴν ἀλκήν, μέγεθος
,
κατὰ τὸν λέοντα τὸν μέγιστον, τὴν δὲ χρόαν
; ~ φ 7

ἐρυθρόν, ὡς κινναβάρινον ὃ εἶναι δοκεῖν, δασὺ δὲ

ε 7 ~ a 3 ~
ws κύνες, φωνῇ TH ᾿ἱνδῶν μαρτιχόρας ὠνόμασται.

\ ᾽ \ 7 “
τὸ πρόσωπον δὲ κέκτηται τοιοῦτον, ὡς δοκεῖν οὐ

θηρίου τοῦτό γε, ἀλλὰ ἀνθρώπου ἔχειν. ὀδόντες
δὲ τρίστοιχοὶ ἐμπεπήγασιν οἱ ἄνω αὐτῷ, τρί-
στοιχοι δὲ οὗ κάτω, τὴν ἀκμὴν ὀξύτατοι, τῶν
κυνείων ἐκεῖνοι μείζους" τὰ δὲ ὦτα ἔοικεν ἀν-
θρώπῳ καὶ ταῦτα," μείξω δὲ καὶ δασέα: τοὺς δὲ
ὀφθαλμοὺς γλαῦκός ἐστι, καὶ ἐοίκασιν ἀνθρωπίνοις
καὶ οὗτοι. πόδας δέ μοι νόει καὶ ὄνυχας οἵους εἶναι
λέοντος. τῇ δὲ οὐρᾷ ἄκρᾳ προσήρτηται σκορπίου
κέντρον, καὶ εἴη ἂν ὑπὲρ. πῆχυν τοῦτο, καὶ παρ’
ἑκάτερα αὐτῷ ἡ οὐρὰ κέντροις διείληπται: τὸ δὲ
οὐραῖον τὸ ἄκρον ἐς θάνατον ἐκέντησε τὸν περιτυ-

1 προσήκουσα ἑτέρως.

2 χὴν ἀκοὴν καὶ ἀλκήν L.

3 κιννάβαριν.

4 θηρίον . . . ἄνθρωπον ὁρᾶν.

5 μέν. 5. ταῦτα τήν ye ἑαυτῶν πλάσιν.

2555

ON ANIMALS, IV. 19-21

pite, but though its leg has been cut off, only when

dead does it let go and lie still, forced by death to

desist.
What more I have learned I will recount else-

where.

90. Men and Dogs are the only creatures that Peculiarities

f various

belch after they have eaten their fill. A man’s heart creatures

is attached to his left breast, but in other creatures
it is fixed in the centre of the thorax. Among
birds of prey there is not one that drinks or makes
water, or even gathers in flocks with others of its

kind.

21. There is in India a wild beast, powerful, daring,
as big as the largest lion, of a red colour like cinnabar,
shaggy like a dog, and in the language of India it is
called Martichoras.® Its face however is not that of
a wild beast but of a man, and it has three rows of
teeth set in its upper jaw and three in the lower;
these are exceedingly sharp and larger than the
fangs of a hound. Its ears also resemble a man’s,
except that they are larger and shaggy; its eyes are
blue-grey and they too are like a man’s, but its feet
and claws, you must know, are those of a lion. To
the end of its tail is attached the sting of a scorpion,
and this might be over a cubit in length; and the tail
has stings at intervals on either side. But the tip of
the tail gives a fatal sting to anyone who encounters

α See 8. I.
> The English form is mantichore. The word is derived from

the Persian mardkhora = ‘ man-slayer’; perhaps a man-eating
tiger. i

The
Mantichore

233.

ἌΒΙΙΑΝ

/ A ὃ 7 θ lal ὟΝ Ω ? 4 1
χόντα, καὶ διέφθειρε παραχρῆμα. ἐὰν δέ τις αὐτὸν

διώκῃ, ὁ δὲ ἀφίησι τὰ κέντρα πλάγια ὡς βέλη, καὶ

” \ Ἂ ¢ ῇ 1 2 ” ‘
ἔστι TO ζῷον ἑκηβόλον. Kat ἐς τοὔμπροσθεν μὲν

Cf 9 7 x ? 3 > X ? 7 2A ‘
ὅταν ἀπολύῃ τὰ κέντρα, ἀνακλᾷ τὴν οὐράν: ἐὰν δὲ.

3 > i 4 4 4 ΄“ 4 3 7 3 x
ἐς τοὐπίσω κατὰ τοὺς Σάκας, ᾷ δὲ ἀποτάδην αὐτὴν
ἐξαρτᾷ. ὅτου δ᾽ ἂν τὸ βληθὲν τύχῃ, ἀποκτεζνει:
3 2 \ ? 3 val 4 ‘ ν᾿ 2 ,
ἐλέφαντα δὲ οὐκ ἀναιρεῖ μόνον. τὰ δὲ ἀκοντιζό-
μενα κέντρα ποδιαῖα τὸ μῆκός ἐστι, σχοΐνου δὲ τὸ
? 7 \ a / / ¢

πάχος. λέγει δὲ apa Κτησίας καί φησιν ὅμολο-
γεῖν αὐτῷ τοὺς ᾿Ινδούς, ἐν ταῖς χώραις τῶν
3 , + , } ¢ 4 2

ἀπολυομένων ἐκείνων κέντρων ὑπαναφύεσθαι ἄλλα,
ὡς εἶναι τοῦ κακοῦ τοῦδε ἐπυγονήν. φιληδεῖ δέ,
¢ ¢ 3 A / 7 3 ᾽; 3 ’ὔ,

ὡς ὁ αὐτὸς λέγει, μάλιστα ἀνθρώπους ἐσθίων,

καὶ ἀναιρεῖ γε 5 ἀνθρώπους πολλούς, καὶ οὐ καθ᾽

ἕνα ἐλλοχᾷ, δύο 3 δ᾽ ἂν ἐπίθουιτο καὶ τρισί, καὶ
κρατεῖ τῶν τοσούτων μόνος. καταγωνίζεται δὲ
\ ~ 7 X 7 7} XY > a 7
καὶ τῶν ζῴων τὰ λοιπά, λέοντα δὲ οὐκ ἂν καθέλοι
ποτέ. ὅτι δὲ κρεῶν ἀνθρωπείων ἐμπιπλάμενον
τόδε τὸ ζῷον ὑπερήδεται, κατηγορεῖ καὶ τὸ
" ᾿ “ἃ ᾿ - ‘hy ΄-ς. a5 3
ὄνομα" νοεῖ ἃ γὰρ τῇ ἡνὼν φωνῇ ὃ ἀνθρω-
ποφάγον αὐτὸ εἶναι. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἔργου καὶ κέκλη-
ται. πέφυκε δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἔλαφον ὥκιστος. τὰ
? δὲ o~ ὃ “ς᾽ ᾽ if | ὃ \ θ ee) > /
βρέφη δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ζῴων “lvdot Onpdow ἀκέν--
Pata N , ᾿ λίθ 8 ᾿ a“
τρους τὰς οὐρὰς ἔχοντα, καὶ λίθῳ ye® διαθλῶσιν
αὐτάς, ἵνα ἀδυνατῶσι τὰ κέντρα ἀναφύειν. φωνὴν
@ 3 4 ote

δὲ σάλπιγγος ws ὅτι ἐγγυτάτω προΐεται. λέγει
δὲ καὶ ἑορακέναι ἢ τόδε τὸ ζῷον ἐν Πέρσαις

/ > ? “ \ fa “~ ~
Κτησίας ἐξ ᾿Ινδῶν κομισθὲν δῶρον τῷ Περσῶν

- ξ “~ ΄΄-
βασιλεῖ, εἰ δή τῳ ἱκανὸς τεκμηριῶσαι ὑπὲρ τῶν

Lladro. ? δέ. 8 καὶ δύο.

4 Reiske: νοεῖται. 5 φωνῇ ἡ ᾿Ινδῶν.

6 ye ἔτι. 7 ἑωρακέναι.

234

ON ANIMALS, IV. 21

it, and death is immediate. If one pursues the beast
it lets fly its stings, like arrows, sideways, and it can
shoot a great distance; and when it discharges its
stings straight ahead it bends its tail back; if how-
ever it shoots in a backward direction, as the Sacae®
do, then it stretches its tail to its full extent. Any
creature that the missile hits it kills; the elephant
alone it does not kill. These stings which it shoots
are a foot long and the thickness of a bulrush. Now
Ctesias asserts (and he says that the Indians confirm
his words) that in the places where those stings have
been let fly others spring up, so that this evil produces
a crop. And according to the same writer the
Mantichore for choice devours human beings ; indeed
it will slaughter a great number; and it lies in wait
not for a single man but would set upon two or even
three men, and alone overcomes even that number.
All other animals it defeats: the lion alone it can
never bring down. That this creature takes special
delight in gorging human flesh its very name testi-
fies, for in the Greek language it means man-eater,
and its name is derived from its activities. Like the

‘stag it is extremely swift.

Now the Indians hunt the young of these animals
while they are still without stings in their tails, which
they then crush with a stone to prevent them from
growing stings. The sound of their voice is as near
as possible that of a trumpet. 7

Ctesias declares that he has actually seen this
animal in Persia (it had been brought from India as
a present to the Persian King)—if Ctesias is to be

α Tranian nomads inhabiting the country SE of the Sea of
Aral between the rivers Jaxartes and Oxus. They contri-
buted a contingent to the Persian army.

235

AELIAN

4 ᾽ 3
bee Sled Κτησίας. ἀκούσας ye μὴν τὰ ἴδιά τις
τοῦδε τοῦ ζῴου εἶτ D t τῷ
τορος Ce α μέντοι τῷ συγγραφεῖ τῷ
νιδίῳ προσεχέτω.

᾿ ,
22. Σκολόπενδρα θαλαττία διαρρήγνυται, ὥς
φασιν, ἀνθρώπου διαπτύσαντος αὐτῆς .1

28. Kaprov δὲ iréas εἴ τις θλιβέντα δοίη πιεῖν
τοῖς ἀλόγοις, λυπεῖται ἐκεῖνα οὐδὲ ἕν, μᾶλλον δὲ
καὶ τρέφεται: πιὼν δὲ ἄνθρωπος τὴν σπορὰν τὴν
παιδοποιόν τε καὶ ἔγκαρπον ἀπώλεσε. καί μοι
δοκεῖ , Ὅμηρος καὶ τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἀπόρρητα
avixvevoas εἶτα μέντοι " καὶ ἰτέαι ὠλεσίκαρποι᾽ ἐν
τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μέτροις εἰπεῖν τοῦτο αἰνιττόμενος.
κωνείου δὲ ἄνθρωπος πιὼν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ αἵματος
πῆξιν τε καὶ ψῦξιν ἀποθνήσκει, ὗς δὲ κωνείου
ἐμπίπλαται καὶ ὑγιαίνει.

: 24. Οἱ Ινδοὶ τέλειον μὲν ἐλέφαντα συλλαβεῖν
ῥᾳδίως ἀδυνατοῦσιν," ἐς δὲ τὰ ἕλη φοιτῶντες τὰ
γειτνιῶντα τῷ ποταμῷ εἶτα μέντοι λαμβάνουσιν
αὐτῶν τὰ βρέφη. ἀσπάζεται γὰρ 6 ἐλέφας τὰ
ἔνδροσα χωρία καὶ μαλακά, καὶ φιλεῖ τὸ ὕδωρ
καὶ ἐν τοῖσδε τοῖς ἤθεσι διαιτᾶσθαι ἐθέλει, καὶ ὡς
ἂν εἴποις ἕλειός ἐστι. λαβόντες οὖν ἁπαλὰ καὶ
εὐπειθῆ τρέφουσι κολακείᾳ τε τῇ κατὰ γαστέρα
καὶ θεραπείᾳ τῇ περὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ φωνῇ θωπευ-
τικῇ (συνιᾶσι γὰρ ἐλέφαντες καὶ γλώττης ἀνθρω-
πίνης τῆς ἐπιχωρίου), καὶ συνελόντι εἰπεῖν ὡς
παῖδας αὐτοὺς ἐκτρέφουσι, καὶ κομιδὴν προσά-

1 προσπτύσαντος αὐτῇ H.

236

ON ANIMALS, IV. 21-24

regarded as a sufficient authority on such matters.
At any rate after hearing of the peculiarities of this

- animal, one must pay heed to the historian of Cnidos.

22. The Sea-scolopendra bursts, they say, when a The power
of human

man spits in its face. spittle

93. If one crushes the fruit of a Willow-tree and The Willow
ives it to animals to drink, they suffer no injury at
all, rather they thrive on it. But if ἃ man drinks it,
his semen loses its procreative strength. And I fancy
that Homer had explored the secrets of nature when
he wrote in his verses [Od. 10. 510] ‘ and willows that
lose their fruit,’ and that he was making a cryptic
allusion to this. Andifaman drink Hemlock, he dies ‘
from the congealing and chilling of his blood, whereas”
a hog can gorge itself with Hemlock and remain in

good health..

The taming
of Elephants

94. The Indians have difficulty in capturing a full-
grown Elephant. So they resort to the swamps by a
river and then capture the young ones. For the
Elephant delights in moist places where the ground is

soft, and loves the water, and prefers to pass his time

in these haunts: he is, so to say, a creature of the
swamps. So having caught them while tender and
docile, they look after them, pandering to their
appetites, grooming their bodies, and using soothing
words—for the Elephants understand the speech of
the natives—and, in a word, they foster them like
children and bestow care upon them, instructing
τι τ -----

2 ἀδυνατοῦσιν, οὔτε γὰρ τοσαῦτα δράσουσιν οὔτε τοσοΐδε
παρέσονται.

237.

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, IV. 24-26

them in various ways. And the baby Elephants
learn to obey.

5 ~ 4 7 Σ 7 € Ἁ
γουσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ παιδεύματα ποικίλα. οἱ δὲ
“
πείθονται.

threshing season when the oxen move ee ἊΝ a8
coca es ee tear 8 and the space is filled We dig corn
sheaves, in order to prevent the oxen from eating
ears, the men smear their nostrils with oa eee
vice which they have hit upon and which oes a
well. For this animal is so disgusted at a ae
smearing that it would not touch ane ood, eV
though it were assailed with the fiercest hunger.

25. Ὅταν ἀλοητὸς ἧ, Kal στρέφωνται περὶ τὸν
δῖνον οἱ βόες, καὶ πεπληρωμένη τῶν δραγμάτων ἡ,
ἅλως ἢ, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοὺς βοῦς μὴ ἀπογεύσασθαι
τῶν σταχύων βολίτῳ τὰς ῥῖνας ἐπιχρίουσιν αὐτῶν,
σόφισμα ἐπινοήσαντες τοῦτο καὶ μάλα γε ἐπιτή-
δειον. τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ζῷον μυσαττόμενον τὴν
προειρημένην χρῖσιν οὐκ ἄν τινος ἀπογεύσαιτο,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ τῷ βαρυτάτῳ λιμῷ πιέζοιτο. ᾿

96. This is the way in which the Indians hunt Hares farony in

26. Τοὺς λαγὼς καὶ τὰς ἀλώπεκας θηρῶσιν ot “ and Foxes: they have no need of ae a
Ἰνδοὶ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. κυνῶν ἐς τὴν ἄγραν chase, but they catch the he Ἢ h chem how-to
od δέονται, ἀλλὰ νεοττοὺς συλλαβόντες ἀετῶν Kat | and Kites also, rear ee τ becca bias ae ᾿
κοράκων καὶ ἰκτίνων προσέτι τρέφουσι καὶ hunt. This is nents ᾿ τ, sachin piece oF ᾿
ee : τ 2 Op Ἧι. ὍΝ ἰῷ panic, ae 4 a oe tie yun; and having sent the
πράῳ λαγῷ καὶ ἀλώπεκι τιθασῷ κρέας mpocap- meat, at 3

birds in pursuit, they allow them to pick off the meat.

~ \ -» - Α 4 3) ΕῚ A ἢ : “ tch
sia ον ας ue ay, a en ἢ Mus “ae | The birds give chase at full speed, and if they ca :
κατὰ πόδας ἐπιπέμψαντες τὸ κρέας ἀφελέσθαι the Hare or the Fox, they have the meat as ἃ rewar
συγχωροῦσιν. of δὲ ἀνὰ κράτος διώκουσι, Kat for the capture: it is for them ἃ highly attractive
ἑλόντες ἢ τὸν ἢ THY ἔχουσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καταλαβεῖν bait. When therefore they have perfected the birds

ἄθλον τὸ κρέας. καὶ τοῦτο μὲν. αὐτοῖς δέλεάρ skill at hunting, the Indians let them loose after

cenogerpcgsprindinay φόβο ser ads boosh sete ioe
SSS LLE EOL TE AED EE DOE

RCM APE BESET OA

petra ae aca

seanotnpenanrnta cee t nechezpersioecionionttnns nternees ἀντ ϑ cece
, νος το τορος, eT ενῶὰς ἀὐρτίπρεται

᾿ \ , > , > mA 3 ᾽ 7 : 1" in
ἐστι καὶ μάλα ἐφολκόν. οὐκοῦν ὅταν ἀκριβώσωσι } mountain Hares and wild Foxes. And the birds,
; (αν τὴν θ ἦν͵ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀρείους λαγὰ | “πὶ οἔ their accustomed feed, whenever one
τὴν σοφίαν τὴν θηρατικήν, ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀρείους λαγὼς | expectation of their a Ae cee i degen
»". - a) 4 Ἁ.ϑ 9. ἃ A) 3 7 XS 3 ? ᾿ .
μεθιᾶσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ἀλώπεκας τὰς ἀγρίας. of these animals appears, ΗΚ ἃ ’ Gene
i δὲ ἐλπίδι τοῦ det ῦ ἦ 5 ἊΣ ἱ ἃ bring it back to their masters, as Vte
οἱ δὲ ἐλπίδι τοῦ δείπνου τοῦ συνήθους, ὅταν τι | trice, and bring

-ce we learn also
tells us. And from the same source W
| that in place of the meat w ch has hitherto been:
| ‘Is of the animals they have caught

fond ‘4 ¢ “~
τούτων φανῇ, μεταθέουσι, καὶ αἱροῦσιν ὦκιστα,
A a 3 .
καὶ τοῖς δεσπόταις ἀποφέρουσιν, ws λέγει Κτησίας.

καὶ ὅτι ὑπὲρ τοῦ τέως προσηρτημένου KpewS ΟῚ attached, the entra

3 a Ἁ λ , - ¢€ / ὃ A aa | ᾿ provide ameal.

αὐτοῖς τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἡἠρημένων δεῖπνόν De Ee τς οι τὰ oa aes πο ϑῆα
,

> " »" ~~ 7 nn
ἐστιν, ἐκεῖθεν καὶ τοῦτο ἴσμεν. 1 χὸ δεῖπνον.

2
238 ᾿ 39

ΒΕ ensnrerrr remnenre remeron τα er

AELIAN "ON ANIMALS, IV. 27

3 “- 3 7 A ~ \ ? .
27. Τὸν γρῦπα ἀκούω τὸ ζῷον τὸ ᾿Ἰνδικὸν
7 Α ᾽
τετράπουν εἶναι κατὰ τοὺς λέοντας, καὶ ἔχειν
ἰδ 7 \
ὄνυχας KapTepods ws ὅτι μάλιστα, Kal τούτους

97. I have heard that the Indian animal the ane ee

yp
i ion ; j d the gold
Gryphon is a quadruped like a lion; that it has claws and the go

μέντοι τοῖς τῶν λεόντων παραπλησίους: κατάπτε-
ρον δὲ εἶναι, καὶ τῶν μὲν νωτιαίων 1 πτερῶν τὴν
7 7 v 4 δὲ / A > θ ?
χρόαν μέλαιναν ᾷἄδουσι, τὰ δὲ πρόσθια ἐρυθρά
φασι, τάς γε μὴν πτέρυγας αὐτὰς οὐκέτι τοιαύτας,
3 \ f \ 4 \ > ~ “A 7ὔ
ἀλλὰ λευκάς. τὴν δέρην δὲ αὐτῶν κυανοῖς διηνθί-
σθαι τοῖς πτεροῖς Κτησίας ἱστορεῖ, στόμα δὲ ἔχειν
ἀετῶδες καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὁποίαν of χειρουργοῦντες
γράφουσί τε καὶ πλάττουσι. φλογώδεις δὲ τοὺς
ὀφθαλμούς φησιν αὐτοῦ. νεοττιὰς δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν
ὁρῶν ποιεῖται, Kat. τέλειον μὲν λαβεῖν ἀδύνατόν
ἐστι, νεοττοὺς δὲ αἱροῦσι. καὶ Βάκτριοι μὲν
“Ῥ > “a 7 > Ἁ 7 ᾿ >
γειτνιῶντες ᾿Ινδοῖς λέγουσιν αὐτοὺς φύλακας εἶναι
τοῦ χρυσοῦ {τοῦ " αὐτόθι, καὶ ὀρύττειν τε αὐτόν
> , ,
ασιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ τούτου τὰς καλιὰς ὑποπλέ-
\ de 3 ‘4 Ἴ ὃ ἮΝ λ f Ἴ ὃ i
Kev, TO δὲ ἀπορρέον ᾿Ινδοὺς λαμβάνειν. ᾿Ἰνδοὶ
δὲ οὔ φασιν αὐτοὺς φρουροὺς εἶναι τοῦ προειρημέ-
A / ~ . ~
vou: μηδὲ yap δεῖσθαι χρυσίου γρῦπας (καὶ ταῦτα
> f \ wv “~ 4 3 \
εἰ λέγουσι, πιστὰ ἔμοιγε δοκοῦσι λέγειν): ἀλλὰ
αὐτοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ χρυσίου ἄθροισιν ἀφικνεῖ-
σθαι, τοὺς δὲ ὑπέρ τε τῶν σφετέρων βρεφῶν
a ~ f
δεδιέναι καὶ τοῖς ἐπιοῦσι μάχεσθαι. καὶ διαγωνί-
ζεσθαι μὲν πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα ζῷα καὶ κρατεῖν ῥᾷστα,
᾽ δὲ 4 > Ai θ δὲ λέ . ,ὔ
λέοντι δὲ μὴ ἀνθίστασθαι μηδὲ ἐλέφαντι. δεδιότες
δὲ ἄρα τὴν τῶνδε τῶν θηρίων ἀλκὴν οἱ ἐπιχώ-
4
ptot, μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὸν χρυσὸν od στέλλονται,
νύκτωρ δὲ ἔρχονται: ἐοίκασι γὰρ τηνικάδε τοῦ
καιροῦ λανθάνειν μᾶλλον. 6 δὲ χῶρος οὗτος, ἔνθα
1 εἶναι. . . νωτιαίων] τὰ νῶτα εἶναι καὶ τούτων τῶν.
% τοῦ» add. Reiske.
240

whee
se nat

+
ae eM eek trey μη ηξ τόνον εν δ᾽" ᾿ Αι aay sc μ
iain yace “SR Bees esi eee ae EET lore ὧν

ΡΝ
ἐπε ραλήν φασι θαι

mses δυο λον atts ARICA AAAS AN SAE RIEL

νεες δσλσννναννσντλυντοόνττο σινσννυν οαδθίλλννσα τ τον
Sear

PE ot ne

of enormous strength and that they resemble those
of a lion. Men commonly report that it is winged

and that the feathers along its back are black, and

those on its front are red, while the actual wings are
neither but are white. And Ctesias records that its
neck is variegated with feathers of a dark blue ; that
it has a beak like an eagle’s, and a head too, Just as
artists portray it in pictures and sculpture. Its eyes,
he says, are like fire. It builds its lair among
the mountains, and although it is not possible to cap-
ture the full-grown animal, they do take the young
ones. And the people of Bactria, who are neigh-
bours of the Indians, say that the Gryphons guard the
gold in those parts; that they dig it up and build their
nests with it, and that the Indians carry off any that
falls from them. The Indians however deny that
they guard the aforesaid gold, for the Gryphons have
no need of it (and if that is what they say, then I at
any rate think that they speak the truth), but that
they themselves come to collect the gold, while the
Gryphons fearing for their young ones fight with the
invaders. They engage too with other beasts and
overcome them without difficulty, but they will not
face the lion or the elephant. Accordingly the
natives, dreading the strength of these animals, do
not set out in quest of the gold by day, but arrive by
night, for at that season they are less likely to be
detected. Now the region where the Gryphons live

241

| AELIAN

οἵ τε γρῦπες διαιτῶνται καὶ τὰ χρυσεῖά 1 ἐστιν
ἔρημος πέφυκε δεινῶς. ἀφικνοῦνται δὲ οἱ os
ὕλης τῆς προειρημένης θηραταὶ κατὰ χιλίους τε
καὶ δὶς τοσούτους ὡπλισμένοι, Kal ἄμας κομίζουσι
σάκκους τε, καὶ ὀρύττουσιν ἀσέληνον ἐπιτηροῦντες
νύκτα. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν λάθωσι τοὺς γρῦπας, ὥνηνται
διπλῆν τὴν ὄνησιν' καὶ γὰρ σώζονται καὶ μέντοι
καὶ οἴκαδε τὸν φόρτον κομίζουσι, καὶ ἐκκαθήραν-
τες “ οἱ μαθόντες χρυσοχοεῖν ὃ σοφίᾳ τινὶ σφετέρᾳ
πάμπολυν πλοῦτον ὑπὲρ τῶν κινδύνων ἔχουσι τῶν
προειρημένων" ἐὰν δὲ κατάφωροι γένωνται, ἀπο-

ὦώλασιν. ἐπανέρχονται. δὲ ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα ὡς
πυνθάνομαι δι᾿ ἔτους τρίτου καὶ τετάρτου.

28. Χελώνης θαλαττίας ἀποτμηθεῖσα ἡ κεφαλὴ 4
a καὶ καταμύει τὴν χεῖρα προσάγοντος" ἤδη

ἂν καὶ δάκοι, εἰ περαιτέρω προσαγάγοις τὴν
χεῖρα. καὶ ἐπὶ μακρὸν ἐκλάμποντας ἔχει τοὺς
ὀφθαλμούς" ai γάρ τοι κόραι λευκόταταί τε καὶ
περιφανέσταταί εἰσι, καὶ ἐξαιρεθεῖσαι χρυσίῳ καὶ
ὅρμοις ἐντίθενται. ἔνθεν τοι καὶ δοκοῦσι ταῖς
γυναιξὶ θαυμασταί. γίνονται δὲ ὡς πυνθάνομαι αἱ
χελῶναι aide ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ, ἣν ἄδουσιν Ἔρυθράν.

ΝΣ EM tan tan been

ON ANIMALS, IV. 27-29

‘and where the gold is mined is a dreary wilderness.

And the seekers after the aforesaid substance arrive,
a thousand or two strong, armed and bringing spades
and sacks; and watching for a moonless night they

begin to dig. Now if they contrive to elude the
_Gryphons they reap a double advantage, for they not.
only escape with their lives but they also take home »

their freight, and when those who have acquired a
special skill in the smelting of gold have refined it,
they possess immense wealth to requite them for the
dangers described above. If however they are
caught in the act, they are lost. And they return
home, I am told, after an interval of three or four

years.

98. The head of a Turtle, after it has been cut off, The Turtle
and its eyes

sees and closes its eyes if one brings one’s hand near;
and it would still bite if you brought your hand too
near. It has eyes that flash a long way off, for the
pupils are the purest white and very conspicuous, and
when removed are set in gold and necklaces.* For
that reason they are greatly admired by women.
These Turtles, I learn, are natives of what is com-
monly called the ‘ Red Sea.’

99. The Cock, they say, at moonrise becomes pos- The Cock
sessed and jumps about. Never would a sunrise pass ΠΩΣ

29. Ὁ ἀλεκτρυὼν τῆς σελήνης ἀνισχούσης |
unnoticed by him, but at that hour he excels himself

3 “ΕΒ A ; “
ἐνθουσιᾷ φασι καὶ σκιρτᾷ. ἥλιος δὲ ἀνίσχων οὐκ
ἂν ποτε αὐτὸν διαλάθ ὑδικώ Ξ €

vy διαλάθοι, φδικώτατος δὲ ἑαυτοῦ ὃ

ἐστι τηνικάδε. πυνθάνομαι δὲ ὅτι ὅρα: καὶ τῇ in crowing. And I learn that the Cock is the

᾿ ‘ ὃς ον ‘ ; @ f 5 - μὲ i é » lin .
᾿ Reiske : Τὰ χωρία τὰ χρυσεῖα. - ἶ 37 ene Peers cae unknown gem. Cp - a
2 ἐκκαθάραντες. ἊΝ | ne |
: Ges . χρυσωρυχεῖν. -ο ει πε ΝΕ Ν
κε Ἢ 4 AAG
φαλὴ οὔποτε θνήσκει ἀλλά. δ φδικώτερος δὲ ἑαυτοῦ μᾶλλον.

242
243

AELIAN

Anrot φίλον ἐστὶν 6 ἀλεκτρυὼν 1 τὸ ὄρνεον. τὸ
δὲ αἴτιον, παρέστη φασὶν αὐτῇ τὴν διπλῆν τε καὶ
μακαρίαν ὠδῖνα ὠδινούσῃ. ταῦτά τοι καὶ νῦν
ταῖς τικτούσαις ἀλεκτρυὼν πάρεστι, καὶ δοκεῖ
πως εὐώδινας ἀποφαίνειν. τῆς δὲ ὄρνιθος ἀπο-
λωλυίας, ἐπῳάζει αὐτός, καὶ ἐκλέπει τὰ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ
νεόττια σιωπῶν" οὐ yap adder τότε θαυμαστῇ τινι
καὶ ἀπορρήτῳ αἰτίᾳ, vat μὰ τόν: δοκεῖ γάρ μοι
Ὁ ait ἑαυτῷ θηλείας ἔργα καὶ οὐκ ἄρρενος
ρῶντι τηνικάδε. μάχῃ 5 «δὲ» 8 ἀλεκτρυὼν καὶ
τῇ πρὸς ἄλλον ἡττηθεὶς ἀγωνίᾳ οὐκ ἂν doce 4" τὸ
γάρ τοι φρόνημα αὐτῷ κατέσταλται,ὃ καὶ καταδύε-
ταὶ γε ὑπὸ τῆς αἰδοῦς. κρατήσας δὲ γαῦρός ἐστι
καὶ ὑψαυχενεῖ, καὶ κυδρουμένῳ ἔοικε. θαυμάσαι
δὲ τοῦ ζῴου ὑπεράξιον καὶ ἐκεῖνο δήπου: θύραν
[4
teens ore oh 2 χω,
αζον τοῦτο: φειδοῖ γὰρ
τοῦ λόφου πράττειν ἔοικε τὸ εἰρημένον.

ξ ' A ~
30. Ot Kodowoi δεινῶς φιλοῦσι τὸ ὁμόφυλον
τοῦτό τοι καὶ διαφθεί τοὺ Ἵ ,
aes φθείρει αὐτοὺς πολλάκις, καὶ τό
he ρώμενον τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ὅτῳ μέλει θηρᾶσαι
Lond “~ i
κολοιούς, τοιαῦτα παλαμᾶται. ἔνθα οἶδεν αὐτῶν
4 4 >
τς καὶ τροφὰς καὶ ἀθροιζομένους ὁρᾷ κατ᾽
ε

ἀγέλας, ἐνταῦθα λεκανίδας ἐλαίου μεστὰς διατί-

θησιν. οὐκοῦν διειδὲς μὲν τὸ ἔ f
lla διειδὲς μὲν τὸ ἔλαιον, περίεργον δὲ
τὸ ὀρνίθιον, καὶ ἀφικνεῖται καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖλος τοῦ

; \ 4
σκεύους κάθηται, καὶ κύπτει κάτω καὶ ὁρᾷ τὴν
” ,
ἑαυτοῦ σκιάν, Kat οἴεται κολοιὸν βλέπειν ἄλλον
- 4 ᾿
καὶ κατελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν σπεύδει. κάτεισί τε
1 ὁ ἄλεκτρυων del. Cobet. 2 ἐν μάχῃ
244

ON ANIMALS, IV. 29-30

favourite bird of Leto. The reason is, they say, that
he was at her side when she was so happily brought to
bed of twins. That is why to this very day a Cock

is at hand when women are in travail, and is believed ᾿

somehow to promote an easy delivery.

If the Hen dies the Cock himself sits on the eggs
and hatches his own eggs in silence, for then for some
strange and inexplicable reason, I must say, he does
not crow. I fancy that he is conscious that he is then
doing the work of a female and ποῦ οἵ ἃ male.

A Cock that has been defeated in battle and in a
struggle with another will not crow, for his spirit is
depressed and he hides himself in shame. On the
other hand if he is victorious, he is proud and holds his
head high and appears exultant. Here too is a most
astonishing trait, I think. As he passes beneath a
doorway, no matter how high, the Cock lowers his
head—a most pretentious action, done apparently
to protect his comb.

30. Jackdaws are devoted to their own species ; The
d Jackdaw

and this it is that often causes their destruction. An
it happens in this way. The man who intends to

hunt Jackdaws adopts the following plan. In the how caught

place where he knows that they feed and where he
sees them gathering in flocks he arranges basins full
of oil. Now the oil is transparent and the bird is in-

quisitive, and it comes and perches on the rim of the

vessel, bends down, and sees its own reflexion, and

supposing it to be another Jackdaw, makes haste to

go down to it. So it descends, flaps its wings, and

᾿ς - --- - --ς-----
8. 8¢) add. Reiske. 4 goa.

5 ῃ A ἢ ;
κατέσταλται καὶ μεμείωται."

245

itd tnaen wwe penta bennnene ne ooSA LLC ASCR Ne σα κα NARS OEEELLNR SURLY Mana hoo Mea

ΑΕΙΙΑΝ, | i ἘΣ ON ANIMALS, IV. 30-31

- : : i uite unable to
all over itself. Being q
οὖν καὶ πτερύσσεται 1 καὶ περιβάλλει τὸ ἔλαιον τοὺς, geatters the yi bird remains, so to speak, fettered,
-~ . BRS n .
αὑτῷ,Σ καὶ ἀναπτερυγίσαι ὃ ἥκιστός ἐστι, καὶ fly up agai trap nor snare is there.
4 , \ 7 ι ἐ ΄ A κι : : : though neither net nor p ot
χωρὶς δικτύων καὶ πάγης καὶ ἁρπεδόνων τὸ ζῷον - |
# e “Δ 39 ‘4 . : a
EVEL WS ἂν εἴποις πεπεδημένον. ; : truding The
μ ς s Ula 41. The Elephant has what pias a ae δὰ ᾿ς ἼΝ ἽΝ
Ὁ ἐλέ δι δον δας τς , , ᾿ tusks, what others call horns. One Resvoh, thew aa mani
31. ὋὉ ἐλέφας, of μὲν αὐτοῦ προκύπτειν χαυλιό- oes; their growth is just visible althoug Υ
δοντάς φασιν, of δὲ κέρατα. ἔχει δὲ καὶ κα five Hee arate; and that is why he is ill-adapted for 7
. 3 ς sc ω-
ἕκαστον πόδα δακτύλους πέντε, ὑποφαίνοντας μὲν Os oe His hind legs are. shorter than his oe
~ “~ ᾿ wimm bd : Φ “ΣΝ » a
Tas ἐκφύσεις, οὐ μὴν διεστῶτας. ταῦτά τοι καὶ Ἢ eos; his paps are close to his armpits: he has
7 4 “~
νηκτικὸς ἐστιν ἥκιστα. σκέλη δὲ τὰ κατόπιν TOV | ate

ich i iceable than a hand,
cis which is far more servicea! han ἐ
ere tongue is short; his gall-bladder is said ali
not near the liver but close to the intestines.

προσθίων * βραχύτερά ἐστι: μαξοὶ δὲ αὐτῷ πρὸς
ταῖς μασχάλαις εἰσί: μυκτῆρα δὲ κέκτηται χειρὸς

παγχρηστότερον καὶ γλῶτταν βραχεῖαν" χολὴν δὲ ᾿ ‘informed that the duration of oe πο ύλρς iz ᾿
αὐτὸν ἔχειν οὐ κατὰ τὸ ἧπαρ ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῷ ἐντέρῳΦ —.— nancy is two years, es ot aaa s. It bears a
φασί. κύειν δὲ πυνθάνομαι δύο ἐτῶν τὸν ἐλέφαντα. ᾿ 4s not so long, but only eig waenrs anit: which pulls
ot δὲ οὐ τοσοῦτον ypdvov, ἀλλὰ ὀκτωκαίδεκα oung one as big as a When 39 possessed with
μηνῶν ὁμολογοῦσιν. ἀποτίκτει δὲ ἰσήλικα τὸ | at the dug with a es d is burning with passion, it
μέγεθος μόσχῳ ἐνιαυσίῳ, σπᾷ δὲ τῆς θηλῆς τῷ | αὐ νὰ τον φενὰ and overturn it, will bend palm-
στόματι. ἐνθουσιῶν δὲ ἐς μίξιν οἴστρῳ τε φλεγό- A will dash is ee ae forehead against them, as rams
μενος ἐμπίπτει τοίχῳ καὶ ἀνατρέπει, καὶ φοίνικας te fe ls oe soy ater not when clear and pure but
κλίνει, τὸ μέτωπον προσαράττων κατὰ τοὺς ὩΣ : he dirtied and stirred it upalittle. But it
κριούς. πίνει δὲ ὕδωρ οὐ διειδὲς οὐδὲ καθαρόν, aaa

ine upright, for it-finds the act of lying
ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν ὑποθολώσῃ τε καὶ ὑποταράξῃ. καθεύδει ' aie ne pee ae troublesome. The ἐν ἀν ον
γε μὴν ὀρθοστάδην-" κατακλινῆναι γὰρ καὶ ἐξανα- reaches its prime at the age of sixty, ona aaa
στῆναι ἐργῶδες αὐτῷ. ἀκμὴ δὲ ἐλέφαντι ἑξή- extends to two hundred years. But it cannot e
κοντα- ἔτη, διατείνει δὲ τὸν βίον καὶ ἐς διπλῆν cold.
ἑκατοντάδα. κρυμῷ δὲ ὁμιλεῖν ἥκιστός ἐστι a

1 Jac: περιπτύσσεται.
2 Ges: αὐτό.
8

EONS LE TILE RES ERNE R SEIS eR ER METAL APRIL

4
5. Camper: στέρνῳ. | 2
£ be
Σ ἰ 8. ἐλέφαντος ἑξήκοντα ETN γεέγονενα “a: tween
καὶ ἀναπτερυγίσαι] ὃν γλισχρὸν καὶ συνδεῖται: τὸ δὲ αἴτιον Ὶ ἐλέφαντος ἐξή ῶ.. .. ἐστι appears in the MSS be
3 ἢ ἕ ? The sentence κρυμᾳ
aAVvaTTE, βρυγισαι .

Ges: τὰ πρόσθια τῶν κατόπιν : q ἔτη and διατείνει: transposed by H (Hermes ) |

247

ee ee ee My: ee ne ee ee ee ee ee

AELIAN

3 ; ~ ~
32. Προβατεῖαι δὲ Ἰνδῶν ὅποϊαι μαθεῖν ἀξιον

4 ~
VT o~ vw > Ἂ >
μὴν τῶν τριῶν οὔτ᾽ al& ᾿Ινδικὴ οὔτ᾽ ἂν of
TEKOL. καὶ τοῖς μὲν προβάτοις αἱ οὐραὶ ae
lL πρὸς τὸν.

pt
πόδα τέτανται, αἱ δὲ at
» a δὲ f

ὥστ᾽ ἐπιψαύειν γῆς Evin ee oe
ο ov. τῶν by οἰῶ
τῶν τίκτειν ἀγαθῶν ee RE ae
νομεῖς, ἵνα ἀναβαίνωνται, ex ὃ Pree ares
τούτων. καὶ ἔλαιον ἀποθλί δ ee

͵ ον ἀποθλίβουσι: τῶν δὲ ἀρρένων
διατέμνουσι τὰς οὐράς, καὶ ἐξαιροῦ i a
καὶ ἐπιρράπτουσι, καὶ S106 ὁ Vea Re εν:
pets ovat, Kat ενοῦται πάλιν ἡ τομή, καὶ

ται τὰ ἴχνη αὐτῆς. ᾿

33. ᾿Αλέξανδρος ὁ Μύνδιος τὸν χαμαιλέοντα

λυπεῖν τοὺς ὁ L a
Tous ὄφεις καὶ ἀσιτίᾳ περιβάλλειν τὸν

fd
τρόπον τοῦτό ΐ
Τρόπον τοῦτόν φησι. κάρφος πλατὺ καὶ )
ἐνδακὼν ἑαυτὸν é 3 ap is ed
"δακὼν ἐπιστρέφει, καὶ ἀντιπρό
Daag χωρεῖ τῷ πολεμίῳ. ὃ δὲ αὐ νυ Be.
β D πο. ; αὐτοῦ -
σθαι Ὁ κά ' ae
te ἀδυνατεῖ, τοῦ κάρφους τὸ πλάτος οὐκ ἔ τὰ

ριχανεῖν, οὐκοῦν ἄδειπνος τό Ἐν κυ
μένει ὃ ὄῴφις- δάκν ΐ ΤΑ ee
cvet ὁ ὄφις ὧν γὰρ τοι τὰ λοιπὰ τῶ 1
αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν avireu: Ww ya ted ia
α ὐδ ὕτει" στερεὰν γὰρ rip j
EXEL, καὶ ἐπαΐει τῶν ἐκείνου ὁδόν anil ee
xe in ὄντων ὃ χαμαιλέων

34 ‘O > 4 ¢

: αὔχην ὃ τοῦ A€ov ἐξ Gore

ἌΣ ae οντὸς ἐξ ὀστέου 2 συνέ-

ἀν μὰ ἢ μὴν ex σφονδύλων πολλῶν. εἰ δέ τι

τ τὰ τοῦ λέοντος διακόπτοι, πῦρ αὐτῶν ἐξάλ.

ται. μυελοὺς δὲ οὐκ ἔχει: οὐδὲ γάρ ἃ ῖ

αὐλῶν δίκην. μίξεως δὲ αὐτὸ ἊΝ ae κι

S$ 0€ αὐτὸν οὐδεμία ἔτους
1 ¢ 7
248 ὁμόσε del, H (1876),

Τ A ‘ -
as αἶγας καὶ τὰς οἷς ὄνων τῶν μεγίστων μείζονας,

ON ANIMALS, IV. 32-34

their Goats and their Sheep are larger than the.
largest asses, and that each one gives birth to

uadruplets; anyhow no Goat or Sheep in India
would ever give birth to less than three at a time.
The Sheep have tails reaching down to their feet,
while the Goats have tails of such length as all but
touch the ground. The shepherds cut off the tails
of the ewes which are good for breeding so that the
yams may mount them, and they press oil out of the
fat contained in them. In the rams’ tails also they
make an incision and extract the fat and sew them
up again. And the cut joins up once more and all

traces of it disappear.

33. Alexander of Myndus declares that the The
Chameleon annoys snakes and makes them go hungry ners

inthisway. Taking inits teeth a piece of wood, broad
and solid, it turns about and goes to face its enemy.
But the Snake is unable to seize it as its Jaws cannot
compass the width of the wood; and so the Snake
goes without a meal as far as the Chameleon is con-
cerned, for although it may bite the rest of its body
it gains nothing, since the Chameleon has a solid hide
and cares not at all for the fangs of the Snake.

34, The neck of a Lion consists of a single bone ‘The Lion

and not of a number of vertebrae. And if a man cuts
through the bones of a Lion fire leaps forth. But
they are devoid of marrow, nor are they hollow like
tubes. There is no season of the year in which it
ee

2 Jac: ὀστέων.

249

39, It is worth while learning the nature of the tee
flocks that belong to the Indians. I have heard that a Tndia

AELIAN

3 “ @ ᾿
ἀναστέλλει ὥρα. κύει δὲ ἄρα μηνῶν ᾿ δύο

, 13 ΄ ι a
TUKTEL δὲ TEVTAKLS, Και ΤΊ) μὲν ὠ δῖνι τῇ πρώτῃ
[᾿ :

πέντε, τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ τέτταρα, τρία τε {τῇδ ἐπὶ
ταύτῃ, καὶ δύο <ri>3 ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ὃν ἐπὶ
πάσαις. οἱ δὲ σκύμνοι ἀρτιγενεῖς μικροί τέ εἰσι
καὶ τυφλοὶ κατὰ τὰ σκυλάκια: βαδίσεως δὲ
ὑπάρχονται, ὅταν δύο μῆνας ἀπὸ γενεᾶς διαβιῶ-
ow. ὁ λόγος δέ, ὅστις λέγει διαξαίνειν. αὐτοὺς
τὰς μήτρας, μῦθός ἐστι. λιμώττων μὲν οὖν λέων
ἐντυχεῖν χαλεπός ἐστι, κορεσθεὶς δὲ πραότατος"
φασὶ δὲ καὶ φιλοπαίστην εἶναι τηνικάδε αὐτόν
φύγοι δὲ οὐκ ἄν ποτε τὰ νῶτα τρέψας λέων,
ἡσυχῆ δὲ ἐπὶ πόδα ἀναχωρεῖ βλέπων. ἀντίος 8
τοῦ γήρως δὲ ὑπαρχομένου ἐπὶ τὰ αὔλια Loyerat
καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς καλύβας καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς οἰκήσεις τὰς τῶν
νομέων τὰς ὑπάντρους, καὶ εἰκότως: ταῖς ya

ὀρείοις ἔτι θήραις ἐπιθαρρεῖν ἀδύνατός ἐστι πῦρ
δὲ ὀρρωδεῖ. ὅστις μὲν οὖν ἐστιν αὐτῶν γυρότε ᾿
καὶ συνεστραμμένος καὶ τὴν χαίτην λασιώτε :

ἀθυμότερός τε Kal ἀτολμό ἴ μᾶλλον.
ae pos τε Kat ἀτολμότερος δοκεῖ μᾶλλον: 6
e μήκους “ εὖ ἥκων καὶ εὐθυτενὴς τὴν τρίχα
ἀνδρειότερος πεπίστευται καὶ θυμοειδέστερος
ἀδηφάγος δὲ ὧν καὶ ὅλα φασὶ μέλη Enna ἐν
καταπίοι. τούτων οὖν πεπληρωμένος καὶ τριῶν
ἡμερῶν οὐκ ἐσθίει πολλάκις, ἔστ᾽ ἂν ὑπαναλωθῇ
τὰ πρῶτά οἱ καὶ πεφθῇ. πίνει δὲ ὀλίγα. ι

Ν᾿: ~ ¢ “- “
; 35. 0 βοῦς ὃ πρᾶος τοῦ πλήττοντος καὶ κολά-
οντος οὐκ ἄν ποτε λήθην λάβοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπομνησθεὶς 8
1 Jac: ἀνά. 2 δὲ καί. a

3 «τῇ . . . {τῇς add. Η.

* διαβιώσῃ τὰ τοῦ λέοντος βρέφη.

250

ON ANIMALS, IV. 34-35

abstains from coupling, and the Lioness is pregnant
for two months. Five times does she give birth, at
the first birth to five cubs, at the second to four, after
that to three, after that to two, and finally to one.
The cubs when new-born are small and, like puppies,
blind, and they begin to walk when they have com-
jeted two months from birth. But the account which
says that they scratch through the womb is a fable.
To encounter a Lion when famished is dangerous,
but when he has eaten his fill he is extremely gentle ;
they even say that at that time heis playful. A Lion
will never turn his back-and flee, but withdraws,
looking you straight in the face, and by degrees.
But when he begins to age he visits folds and huts
and spots where shepherds lodge in caves ; which, is
to be expected, because he no longer has the spirit
for hunting on the mountains. He hasa horror of fire.
Any Lion that inclines to roundness and a compact
figure, and that has too shaggy a mane, appears to be
lacking in spirit and daring ; whereas the beast that
attains a good length and has a straight mane is re-
arded as bolder and fiercer. Possessing a ravenous
appetite he will, they say, devour and swallow whole
limbs. So when he has taken his fill of them he will
often not eat for the space of three days until his
former meal has been gradually absorbed and
‘digested. He drinks but little.

35. A domesticated Ox will never forget the man
who strikes and chastises him, but he remembers and

: @ See 5. 89. Ξ
an
5 καὶ φύγοι. 6 ἀντίος καὶ ἐπιβραχύ.

? «εἰς μῆκος. 8 ὑπομνησθείς.
251

The Ox and
its memory ἡ

AELIAN

aA . \ /
τιμωρεῖται καὶ διαστήματος ἐγγενομένου. ὧν μὲ
γὰρ ὑπὸ ζεύγλην καὶ τρό ; ι ὌΝ
γλη L τρόπον τινὰ καθειργμένος,

7 4
ἔοικε δεσμώτῃ καὶ ἡσυχάζει: ὅταν δὲ ἀφεθῇ,
ε

πολλάκις ζμὲνν)} τῷ λ f 3 3

ree ps τῷ σκέλει παίσας συνέτριψε

O ,

μέλος " τι τ βουκόλου, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ θυμωθεὶς
πὰ κι

5. Κέρας εἶτα ἐμπεσὼν ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν. ἐντεῦθεν
προς τὸ | ids ἐ ἱ |
ee us ἄλλ ous πρᾶος ἐστι, καὶ πάρεισιν ἐς τὸ

ν : wy

ὑλιον ἡσυχῆ: οὐ yap ἐστιν ἀνήμερος πρὸς ods

οὐκ ἐχει τοῦ θυμοῦ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν. |

. : |
36. °H τῶν ᾿νδῶν γῆ, φασὶν αὐτὴν of συγ-
γραφεῖς πολυφάρμακόν τε καὶ τῶν βλαστημάτων
τῶνδε δεινῶς πολύγονον εἶναι. καὶ τὰ μὲν σώζειν
αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων ῥύεσθαι τοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν
δακετῶν ὁμοῦ τῷ θανάτῳ ὄντας (πολλὰ δὲ ἐκεῖθι
τοιαῦτα ) τὰ δὲ ἀπολλύναι καὶ διαφθείρειν ὀξύτατα
ὧνπερ οὖν ὃ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ὄφεως {τοῦ πορφυροῦ 4
γινόμενον εἴη ἂν. ἔστι δὲ ἄρα οὗτος 6 ὄφις κατὰ
σπιθαμὴν τὸ μῆκος ὅσα ἰδεῖν: χρόαν δὲ ἔοικε
πορφύρᾳ τῇ βαθυτάτῃ. λευκὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν καὶ
οὐκέτι πορφυρᾶν περιηγοῦνται αὐτοῦ, λευκὴν δὲ
οὐχ ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος, ἀλλὰ καὶ χιόνος ἐπέκεινα καὶ
γάλακτος. ὀδόντων δὲ ἄγονός ἐστιν ὃ ὄφις
οὗτος" εὑρίσκεται δ᾽ ἐν τοῖς πυρωδεστάτοις τῆς
Ἰνδικῆς χωρίοις. καὶ δάκνειν μὲν ἥκιστός ἐστι
καὶ κατά γε τοῦτο φαίης ἂν τιθασὸν αὐτὸν εἶραι
καὶ πρᾶον: οὗ δ᾽ ἂν κατεμέσῃ, ὡς ἀκούω, ἢ
ἀνθρώπου τινὸς ἢ θηρίου, τοῦδε τὸ μέλος ὝΕΣ;
πῆναι ἀνάγκη πᾶν. οὐκοῦν θηραθέντα αὐτὸν ἐκ
τοῦ οὐραίου μέρους ἐξαρτῶσι, καὶ οἷα εἰκὸς κάτω
1 μέν» add, H. 2 Wyit: pépos. .

252

ON ANIMALS, IV. 35-36

takes his revenge even after a long interval. For
being under the yoke and in a certain degree con-
fined, he is like a prisoner and keeps still; but when
he is let out he has often kicked and broken some
limb of his herdsman; often too he has put passion
into his horns and has fallen upon a man and killed
him. After that he is gentle to others and goes
quietly to the fold, for he is not savage towards those
against whom he has no ground for anger,

36. Historians say that India is rich in drugs and The Purple
nake O

remarkably prolific of medicinal plants, of which some jnaia

save life and rescue from danger men who have been
brought to death’s door through the bites of noxious
creatures (and there are many such in India); while
other drugs are swift to kill and destroy ; and to this
class might be assigned the drug which comes from
the Purple Snake. Now this snake appears to be a
span long; its colour is like the deepest purple, but
its head they describe as white and not purple, and
not just white, but whiter even than snow or milk.
But this snake has no fangs and is found in the hottest
regions of India, and though it is quite incapable of
biting—for which reason you might pronounce it to
be tame and gentle—yet if it vomits upon anyone (so
I am told), be it man or animal, the entire limb
inevitably putrefies. Therefore when caught men
hang it up by the tail, and naturally it has its head
hanging down, looking at the ground. And below
the creature’s mouth they place a bronze vessel, into

en at

3° ὧν οὖν (or &v)rep.
4 rod πορφυροῦν add. Jac.
5 γάλακτος πλέον λευκήν.

253

MES

erases

hams

AELIAN ©

ν᾿ 4 y \ 3 ~ -
τὴν ἐν oki ἔχει, καὶ ἐς γῆν ὁρᾷ’ ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ.
“~ 3 oa? :
oTopa? τοῦ θηρὸς ἀγγεῖόν τι τιθέασι πεποιημένον

χαλκοῦ ᾿ καὶ 2 διὰ τοῦ στόματος σταγόνες ἐκείνῳ >
λείβονται ἐς τοῦτο, καὶ τὸ καταρρεῦσαν συνίσταταί
τε καὶ πήγνυται, καὶ ἐρεῖς ἰδὼν ἀμυγδαλῆς δάκρυον
εἶναι. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀποθνήσκει 6 ὄφις, ὑφαιροῦσι
δὲ “τὸ σκεῦος, καὶ προστιθέασιν * ἄλλο, χαλκοῦν
καὶ ἐκεῖνο: νεκροῦ δὲ ἐκρεῖ πάλιν ὑγρὸς ἰχώρ,
καὶ ἔοικεν ὕδατι. τριῶν δὲ ἡμερῶν ἐῶσι, καὶ
συνίσταται μέντοι καὶ οὗτος. εἴη δ᾽ 6 ἂν ἀμ-
φοῖν ! διαφορὰ κατὰ τὴν χρόαν: ἡ μὲν γὰρ δεινῶς
ἐστι μέλαινα, ἡ δὲ ἠλέκτρῳ εἴκασται. οὐκοῦν
τούτου μὲν εἰ δοίης τινὶ ὅσον σησάμου μέγεθος
ἐμβαλὼν ὃ ἐς οἶνον ἢ ἐς σιτίον, πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν
σπασμὸς περιλήψεται καὶ μάλα ἰσχυρός, εἶτα
διαστρέφονταί οἱ τὼ ὀφθαλμώ, ὃ δὲ ἐγκέφαλος
διὰ τῶν ῥινῶν κατολισθάνει 9 λειβόμενος,1 καὶ
ἀποθνήσκει καὶ μάλα οἴκτιστα"11 ἐὰν δὲ ἔλαττον
λάβῃ τοῦ φαρμάκου, ἄφυκτα μὲν αὐτῷ τὸ 13
ἐντεῦθέν ἐστι, χρόνῳ δὲ ἀπόλλυται. ἐὰν δὲ τοῦ
μέλανος ὀρέξῃς, ὅπερ οὖν κατέρρευσε τεθνεῶτος,
ὅσον σησάμου καὶ τοῦτο μέγεθος, ὑπόπυος
γίνεται, καὶ φθόη καταλαμβάνει τὸν λαβόντα, καὶ
ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀναλίσκεται τηκεδόνι: πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἐς
ἔτη δύο προῆλθον, κατὰ μικρὰ ἀποθνήσκοντες.

37. Ἢ στρουθὸς ἡ μεγάλη φὰ μὲν ἀποτίκτει

3 ? 3 7 ‘
πολλά, οὐ πάντα δὲ ἐκγλύφει,14 ἀλλὰ ἀποκρίνει τὰ

3 “ \ > ,
ἄγονα, Tots δὲ ἐγκάρποις ἐπῳάζει. Kal ἐκ μὲν

1 +, “« Ἀ ~ 7 4
: αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ στόματι. : καὶ αἵ.
ἐκεῖναι. ἃ γιθέασιν.

5 ἐχὼρ οὗτος. 6. Jac: ἡ δ᾽.

254

ON ANIMALS, IV. 36-37

which there ooze drops from its mouth; and the
liquid sets and congeals, and if you saw it you would
say that it was gum from an almond-tree. So when
the snake is dead they remove the vessel and sub-

: stitute another, also of bronze; and again from the

dead body there flows a liquid serum which looks like
water. ‘This they leave for three days, arid it too
sets; but there will be a difference in colour between
the two, for the latter is a deep black and the former
the colour of amber. Now if you give a man a piece’
of this no bigger than a sesame seed, dropping it into
his wine or his food, first he will be seized with con-
vulsions of the utmost violence; next, his eyes squint.
and his brain dissolves and drips through his nostrils,
and he dies a most pitiable death. Andif he takes a
smaller dose of the poison, there is no escape for him
hereafter, for in time he dies. If however you
administer some of the black matter which has flowed
from the snake when dead, again a piece the size of ἃ.
sesame seed, the man’s body begins to suppurate, a
wasting sickness overtakes him, and within a year he.
is carried off by consumption. But there are many.
whose lives have been prolonged for as much as two
years, while little by little they died.

37. Although the Ostrich lays a number of eggs it The Ostrich

does not hatch all of them but sets aside the sterile
ones and sits upon those that are fertile; and from
Bre ne ee te a ee tee

Ἰ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοῖν.
8 Schn: ἀφελῶν καὶ ἐμβαλών.
9. κατολισθαΐνει.
10 Reiske: θλιβόμενος.
il 4 δ 4 > x ”
καὶ οἴκτιστα μὲν ἀλλὰ ὠκιστα.
12 καί. 18 ὡς εἶναι. 14 γρέφει.

255.

AELIAN

. a Α ‘ 3 -
τούτων τοὺς νεοττοὺς ἐξέλεψεν, ἐκεῖνα δὲ τὰ

2 , 7

ἐκφαυλισθέντα τούτοις τροφὴν παρατίθησιν. εἰ
eee ee, | , € 9 a my

δὲ αὐτὴν διώκοι τις, ἡ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιτολμᾷ TH πτήσει,

“a Ἀ A ἢ

θεῖ δὲ τὰς πτέρυγας ἁπλώσασα" εἰ δὲ ἁλίσκεσθαι
,ὔ ‘ ᾿

μέλλοι, τοὺς παραπίπτοντας λίθους ἐς τοὐπίσω

σφενδονᾷ τοῖς ποσίν.

ξ ᾿
38. Οἱ στρουθοὶ of σμικροὶ συνειδότες ἑαυτοῖς

> ? 4 7 “"
ἀσθένειαν διὰ σμικρότητα τοῦ σώματος, ἐπὶ Tots

ἀκρεμόσι τῶν κλάδων τοῖς φέρειν αὐτοὺς δυναμέ-
νοις τὰς νεοττιὰς συμπλάσαντες εἶτα μέντοι τὴν ἐκ
τῶν θηρατῶν ἐπιβουλὴν ὡς τὰ πολλὰ διαφεύγουσιν
ἐπιβῆναι τῷ 1 κλαδὶ μὴ δυναμένων: οὐ γὰρ
αὐτοὺς φέρει διὰ λεπτότητα.

89. At δὲ ἀλώπεκες ἐς ὑπερβολὴν προήκουσαι
πανουργίας καὶ τρόπου δολεροῦ ὅταν θεάσωνται
σφηκιὰν εὐθενουμένην," αὐταὶ ὃ μὲν ἀποστρέφονται
τὸν χηραμὸν ἐκνεύουσαι καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν κέντρων
τρώσεις φυλαττόμεναι. καθιᾶσι δὲ τὴν οὐρὰν
δασυτάτην τε οὖσαν καὶ μηκίστην τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ
διασείουσι τοὺς σφῆκας- οἱ δὲ προσέχονται τῷ
τῶν τριχῶν δάσει. ὅταν δὲ ἐμπαλαχθῶσιν * αὐτῷ,
προσαράττουσι τὴν οὐρὰν ἢ δένδρῳ ἢἣ τειχίῳ ὃ
ἢ αἱμασιᾷ" παιόμενοι δὲ οὗ σφῆκες ἀποθνήσκουσιν.
εἶτα ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον, καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς
προσαναλέξασαι καὶ ἀποκτείνασαι κατὰ τοὺς
πρώτους, ὅτον ἐννοήσωσι λοιπὸν εἰρήνην εἶναι καὶ
ἀπὸ τῶν κέντρων ἐλευθερίαν, καθῆκαν τὸ στόμα
καὶ τὰ σφηκία ἐσθίουσι, μήτε θορυβούμεναι μήτε
μὴν τὰ κέντρα ὑφορώμεναι.

256

β
i
|

AA sas amnwwvinmhihennnnnrnnc cities earn σήν

ON ANIMALS, IV. 37-39

these it hatches its young, giving them the other,
rejected eggs to eat. And if one chases the Ostrich
++ does not venture to fly but spreads its wings and
runs. And if itis in danger of being captured it slings
the stones that come in its way. backwards with its

feet.

38. Sparrows, conscious that their weakness is The Sparrow

due to the small size of their bodies, build their nests
upon those twigs of branches which are strong
enough to support them, and so generally escape the
machinations of bird-catchers who cannot climb the
branch: it is too slender to bear them.

39. Foxes pass ait pounds in their mischievousness The Fox
>» and Wasps

and trickery. When they observe a thriving Wasps
nest they turn their back upon it and avoid the hole
so as to protect themselves from being stung. But
their tail, which is very bushy and long, they let
down into the hole and shake up the Wasps. And
these fasten on the thick hairs. But when they are
entangled in them the Foxes beat their tail against a
tree or fence or stone wall, and the Wasps are killed
by the blows. Then the Foxes return to the same .
spot, collect the remaining Wasps, and kill them as
they did the first lot.. When they know that they
will have peace and be free from stings they put down
their heads and eat up the combs, with nothing to
disturb them and no need to look out for stings.

--.. -.-.-...

1 Schn: τῇ.

2 εὐθην- MSS always.

8 Reiske: αὗται.

4 ἀναπλασθῶσιν MSS, ἐμπλασ- Jac.
5. χειχίῳ H (1815). τοίχῳ.

257

VOL. I. K

AELIAN

40. Κυνὸς κρανίον ῥαφὴν οὐκ ἔχει. δραμὼν δὲ

ἐπὶ πλέον λάγνης γίνεται, φασί. κυνὸς δὲ ynpdv- Ὁ
τος ἀμβλεῖς. οἵ ὀδόντες καὶ μελαΐνονται. εὔρινος

δέ , ἔστιν οὕτως ὡς μήποτ᾽ ἂν ὀπτοῦ κυνείου
κρέως μηδ᾽ 5 ἂν καρυκείᾳ τῇ ποικιλωτάτῃ καὶ

δολερωτάτῃ καταγοητευθέντος γεύσασθαι. τρεῖς
δὲ ἄρα νόσοι κυνὶ ἀποκεκλήρωνται καὶ οὐ πλείους,
κυνάγχη λύττα ποδάγρα: ἀνθρώποις γε μὴν
μυρίαι. πᾶν δὲ 6 τι ἂν ὑπὸ κυνὸς λυττῶντος
δηχθῇ, τοῦτο ἀποθνήσκει. κύων δὲ ποδαγρήσας,

3 7
σπανίως ἀναρρωσθέντα ὄψει αὐτόν. κυνὶ δὲ βίος.

¢ , :

ὁ μήκιστος τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ἔτη. “Apyos δὲ ὁ
, \ ¢ ἃ

Οδυσσέως καὶ ἡ περὶ αὐτὸν ἱστορία ἔοικε παιδιὰ

ὋὍὉμήρου εἶναι.

ON ANIMALS, IV. 40-41

40. A Dog’s skull has no suture. Running, they The Dog

say, makes a Dog more lustful. In old age a Dog’s
teeth are blunt and turn black. He is so keen-
scented that he will never touch the roasted flesh of a
dog, be it bewitched by the subtlest and craftiest of
rich sauces. Now there are three diseases which fall
to the lot of a Dog and no more, viz. dog-quinsy,
rabies, and gout, while mankind has an infinite
number. Everything that is bitten by a mad Dog
dies. Ifa Dog once gets gout you will hardly see him
recover his strength. The life of a Dog at its longest
is fourteen years; so Argus, the dog of Odysseus, and
the story about him [Od. 7. 291] look like a playful
tale of Homer's. | |

41. The following species of bird belongs to the The
very smallest of those in India. They build their aaa

41. Tévos ὀρνίθων ᾿Ινδικῶν βραχυτάτων καὶ
: | nests on high mountains and among. what are called beetle)

“κ᾿ ig ¥ “a tA - “a
τοῦτο εἴη av. ἐν τοῖς πάγοις τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς νεοτ-

τεύει καὶ ταῖς πέτραις ταῖς καλουμέναις λεπραῖς,3
καὶ ἔστι τὸ μέγεθος τὰ ὀρνύφια ὅσόνπερ Gov
πέρδικος" σανδαρακίνην δέ μοι νόει τὴν χρόαν
αὐτῶν. καὶ Ινδοὶ μὲν αὐτὸ φωνῇ τῇ σφετέρᾳ
δίκαιρον φιλοῦσιν ὀνομάζειν, Ἕλληνες δὲ ws
ἀκούω δίκαιον. τούτου τὸ ἀποπάτημα εἴ τις
λάβοι ὅσον κέγχρου μέγεθος λυθὲν ἐν τῷ

πώματι, ὃ δὲ 8 ἐ θ Ξ Σ ὁ
ματι, ὁ ς ἑσπέραν ἀπέθανεν. ἔοικε δὲ ὃ
i ? “a
θάνατος ὕπνῳ καὶ μάλα ye ἡδεῖ Kal ἀνωδύνῳ καὶ

e ε “᾿ ~
οἷον οἱ ποιηταὶ λυσιμελῆ φιλοῦσιν ὀνομάζειν ἢ

Ψ ἢ 32; 9 eo
ἀβληχρόν" εἴη γὰρ ἂν καὶ οὗτος ἐλεύθερος ὀδύνης
καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις διὰ ταῦτα ἥδιστος. σπουδὴν
1 φασὶ μᾶλλον. “3 μήτ᾽.
8 λιτταῖς MSS, λισσ-- Schn. ͵
4 ἕωθεν conj. Jac; ep. Ctes. ap. Phot. Bibl. 475, 30.

258

‘rugged’ rocks. These tiny birds are the size of a
partridge’s egg, and you must know that they are
orange-coloured. The Indians are accustomed to
call the bird in their language dikairon,? but the

’ Greeks, so I am informed, dikaton. If a man take of

its droppings a quantity the size of a millet-seed dis-
solved in his drink, he is dead by the evening. But
his death is like a very pleasant and painless sleep,
and such as poets are fond of describing as * limb-
relaxing ’ and ‘ gentle.’ For death too may be free
from pain, and for that reason most welcome to those

α ‘The “ bird’ was the Dung-beetle, Scarabaeus sacer .. .

the “dung” was probably . . . a resinous preparation of
Indian hemp’ (Thompson, Gk.. birds, 8.v.).

5 εἶτα.

. 259

AELIAN .

4 A . 3
δὲ dpa τὴν ἀνωτάτω τίθενται ᾿Ϊνδοὶ és τὴν

a 3 -“ ~ ‘ ~ ;
κτῆσιν αὐτοῦ: κακῶν yap αὐτὸ ἐπίληθον ἡγοῦνται

τῷ ὄντι: καὶ οὖν καὶ ἐν τοῖς δώροις τοῖς μέγα
τιμίοις τῷ Περσῶν βασιλεῖ 6 ᾿Ινδῶν πέμπει καὶ
τοῦτο. ὁ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων προτιμᾷ
λαβὼν καὶ ἀποθησαυρίζει κακῶν ἀνιάτων ἀντί-
παλόν τε καὶ ἀμυντήριον, εἰ ἀνάγκη καταλάβοι.
οὔκουν οὐδὲ ἔχει τις ἐν Πέρσαις αὐτὸ ἄλλος, ὅτι
μὴ βασιλεύς τε αὐτὸς καὶ μήτηρ ἡ βασιλέως. καὶ
διὰ ταῦτα ἀντικρίνοντες βασανίσωμεν τῶν φαρμά-
κων τοῦ τε ᾿᾽Ϊνδικοῦ καὶ τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου ὁπότερον
ἣν προτιμότερον’ ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἐφ᾽ ἡμέραν 1
ἀνεῖργέ 5. τε καὶ ἀνέστελλε τὰ δάκρυα τὸ Αἰγύ-
πτιον, τὸ δὲ λήθην κακῶν παρεῖχεν αἰώνιον τὸ
Ivducov' καὶ τὸ μὲν γυναικὸς δῶρον ἦν, τὸ δὲ
ὄρνιθος ἢ ἀπορρήτου φύσεως δεσμῶν τῶν ὄντως
βαρυτάτων ἀπολυούσης δι᾿ ὑπηρέτου τοῦ προει-
ρημένου. καὶ ᾿Ινδοὺς κτήσασθαι αὐτὸ εὐτυχήσαν-
τας οἷ ὡς τῆς ἐνταυθοῖ φρουρᾶς ἀπολυθῆναι ὅταν
ἐθέλωσιν. |

42, °O ὄρνις ὁ ἀτταγᾶς (μέμνηται δὲ καὶ

3 7 ᾽ “- > “
Ἀριστοφάνης αὐτοῦ ἐν Ορνισι τῷ δράματι),
χὰ \ 9 δ =e Soa
οὗτός τοι TO ἴδιον ὄνομα ἧ σθένει φωνῇ φθέγγεται
ῖ 5 ,ὔ ,
καὶ ἀναμέλπει αὐτό. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ τὰς καλουμέ-
i \ ~ “~
vas μελεαγρίδας τὸ αὐτὸ δήπου δρᾶν τοῦτο, Kat
ω / “ > ?
ort Μελεάγρῳ τῷ Οἰνέως προσήκουσι κατὰ γένος
“- " ᾿
μαρτυρεῖσθαι καὶ μάλα εὐστόμως. λέγει δὲ ὁ
- Ὁ > 3 “ ΄' :
μῦθος, ὅσαι ἦσαν οἰκεῖαι τῷ Οἰνείδῃ νεανίᾳ,
ταύτας ἐς δάκρυά τε ἄσχετα καὶ πένθος ἄτλητον
+3 ᾿ χρῷ τῷ τὰς ees are Sef
ἡμέραν αὐτήν. ἀνεῖχε.
5. 15 7, ? ᾿
εὐτυχήσαντάς <pacw> Warmington.
260

SRS EMG LEDS

ON ANIMALS, IV. 41-42

who desire it. The Indians accordingly do their ut-
most to obtain possession of it, for they regard it as
in fact ‘ causing them to forget their troubles *[Hom.
Od. 4. 221]. And so the Indian King includes this
also among the costly presents which he sends to the
Persian King, who receives it and values it above all
the rest and stores it away, to counteract and to
remedy ills past curing, should necessity arise. But
there is not another soul in Persia save the King and
the King’s mother who possesses it. So let us com-
pare the Indian and Egyptian drug and see which
of the two was to be preferred. On the one hand
the Egyptian drug repelled and suppressed sorrow
for a day, whereas the Indian drug caused a man to
forget his troubles for ever. The former was the gift
of a woman, the latter of a bird or else of Nature,
which mysteriously releases men from a truly
intolerable bondage through the aforesaid agency.
And the Indians are fortunate in possessing it so that
they can free themselves from this world’s prison
whenever they wish. |

49. The bird called ‘ Francolin’ (Aristophanes
mentions it in his comedy of the Birds (249, etc.]}) pro- ἡ
claims and sings its own name as loudly as it can.

And they say that Guinea-fowls, as they are called, The Guinea

do the same and testify to their kinship with
Meleager the son of Oeneus in the clearest tones.
The legend goes that all the women who were related
to the son of Oeneus dissolved into unassuageable
tears and sorrow past bearing, and mourned for him

4 In Hom. Od: 4. 219-32 Helen mixes a drug, thought to
have been opium in some form, in the wine of Telemachus to
make him forget his sorrow for his father. ~ 4

261 |

~AELIAN

3 -ν ‘ a ΄-
ἐκπεσεῖν καὶ θρηνεῖν, οὐδέν. τι τῆς λύπης ἄκος
, ᾿ “" ~ “
προσιεμένας, οἴκτῳ δὲ ἄρα τῶν θεῶν ἐς ταῦτα τὰ
΄-“ 9 a “A .:
ζῷα ἀμεῖψαι τὸ εἶδος. ταῖς δὲ ᾿νδαλμά τὲ καὶ

? ΄-“ f _ ἢ > ~ “-
σπέρμα τοῦ τότε πένθους ἐντακῆναι, καὶ ἐς νῦν

3) , 7 ~ 9 4 ~
ἔτι Μελέαγρόν τέ ἀναμέλπειν, καὶ ὡς αὐτῷ προσή-
+ t “~ : :

κουσιν ἄδειν καὶ τοῦτο μέντοι. ὅσοι δὲ ἄρα
> »- -¥ a ~ “

αἰδοῦνται τὸ θεῖον, οὐκ ἂν ποτε τῶνδε τῶν

3 ‘9 24 a 3 ΄ + Ψ ς

ὀρνίθων ἐπὶ τροφῇ * προσάψαιντο. καὶ ἥτις ἡ

‘4 3 7 e ‘ “« “-

αἰτία ἴσασί τε οἱ τὴν νῆσον οἰκοῦντες τὴν Λέρον
\ Ψ» ~

καὶ ἔνεστι μαθεῖν ἀλλαχόθεν.

48. Πέπυσμαι δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν μυρμήκων καὶ
ταῦτα. οὕτως ἄρα αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐθελουργὸν καὶ τὸ
ἐθελόπονον πάρεστιν ἀπροφασίστως καὶ ἄνευ τινὸς
ὑποτιμήσεως ἐθελοκακούσης καὶ σκήψεως, ἐς ἣν
ὑποικουρεῖ τὸ ῥάθυμον, ὡς κἀν 8 ταῖς πανσελήνοις
μηδὲ νύκτωρ βλακεύειν μηδὲ ἐλινύειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχεσθαι
τῆς σπουδῆς. ὦ ἄνθρωποι, μυρίας προφάσεις τε

\ 7 3 \ ~
καὶ σκήψεις ἐς TO ῥᾳστωνεύειν ἐπινοοῦντες. καὶ

τί δεῖ καταλέγειν τε καὶ ἐπαντλεῖν τὸν τοσοῦτον 4
ὄχλον; κεκήρυκται γὰρ Διονύσια καὶ Λήναια καὶ
Χύτροι καὶ Γεφυρισμοί, καὶ μετελθόντων ἐς τὴν
Σπάρτην ἄλλα καὶ ἐς Θήβας ἄλλα. καὶ κατὰ
πόλιν μυρία ἑκάστην τὰ μὲν βάρβαρον τὰ δὲ

“Ἑλλάδα.

1 θεῖον καὶ εἰ μᾶλλον τὴν "Αρτεμιν.
= Schn: τροφήν.

͵
8 Jac: Kat or Kav. 4 χοιοῦτον.

* Leros, off the coast of Caria, contained a shrine of Artemis
Parthenos, and there according to the legend the women were
transformed.

262

ON ANIMALS, IV. 42-43

and found no cure for their sorrow. So the gods in
pity allowed them to change their shape into these
birds; and the semblance and seed of their ancient
grief have sunk into them so that to this day they

raise a strain to Meleager and even sing of how they ~

are his kin.

So then all who reverence the gods would never lay
hands on one of these birds for the sake of food.. And
the reason of this is known to the inhabitants of the
island of Leros® and can be learned from other

sources.

43. Here are more facts that I have learned touch- The Ant

ing Ants. So indefatigable, so ready to work are
they, without making excuses, without any base plea
for release, without alleging reasons that are a cloak
for indolence, that not even at night when the moon
is full do they idle and take holiday, but stick to their
occupation. | !
Look at you men—devising endless pretexts and
excuses for idling! What need is there to detail and
our out the full number of these occasions? Pro-
claimed as holidays are the Dionysia,’ the Lenaea, the
Festival of Pots, Causeway Day: go to Sparta, and
there are others: others again at Thebes: and an
endless number in every city, some in a foreign,
others in a Greek city.

ὃ Greater or City Dionysia held about March 28—April 2;
Lesser or Country Dionysia, about December 19-22; Lenaea,
at the end of January; Χύτροι, feast in honour of the departed,
about March 4; all these at Athens. Tedupiopds: those who
took part in the Eleusinia, in March, indulged in abusive
repartee as they passed along the Sacred Way between Athens
and Eleusis.

263

A RRA Rr πο ον ονοοοσιβοσσαααανεσατε nlc ANH HLSCAINALMMA

festivals

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, IV. 44-45

44. In Egypt the Cats, the Ichneumons, the Croco- ane ae
diles, and moreover the Hawks afford evidence that kind actions
animal nature is not altogether intractable, but that

when well-treated they are good at remembering

44, Μαρτύριον δὲ τῆς τῶν ζῴων φύσεως, bru
7 ? a : 5 3 ᾿
>
ov πάνυ tet δυσμεταχείριστά 2 ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ εὖ q
παθόντα ἀπομνησθῆναι τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἐστὶν Ῥ
ἃ θ 73 5 nA Ai 7 ὥ 7λ \ ς
γαθά," ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ οἵ τε αἴλουροι καὶ οἱ

ἰχνεύμονες καὶ οἱ κροκόδιλοι καὶ τὸ τῶν ἱεράκων
ἔτι φῦλον. ἁλίσκεται δὲ κολακείᾳ τῇ κατὰ γαστέ-
ρα, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡμερωθέντα λοιπὸν πραότατα
μένει: καὶ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐπίθοιτο τοῖς εὐεργέταις
τοῖς ἑαυτῶν, τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ συμφυοῦς τε καὶ
συγγενοῦς ἅπαξ παραλυθέντα. ἄνθρωπος δὲ καὶ
λόγου μετειληχὸς ζῷον καὶ φρονήσεως ἀξιωθὲν
καὶ αἰδεῖσθαι λαχὸν καὶ ἐρύθημα, πιστευθὲν φίλου
γίνεται βαρὺς πολέμιος, καὶ ὅσα ἀπόρρητα ἐπι-
στεύθη, ταῦτα δι᾿ αἰτίαν βραχυτάτην καὶ τὴν
παρατυχοῦσαν ἐς ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξέπτυσε τὴν τοῦ

ΡΤ

kindness. They are caught by pandering to their
appetites, and when this has rendered them tame
they remain thereafter perfectly gentle: they would
never set upon their benefactors once they have been
freed from their congenital and natural temper.
Man however, a creature endowed with reason,
credited with understanding, gifted with a sense of
honour, supposed capable of blushing, can become
the bitter enemy of a friend and for some trifling and
casual reason blurt out confidences to betray the very
man who trusted him. oe

45. Eudemus has a story to fill one with amaze- erie

ment, and this is the story he tells. A young hunter 4 Bear, and
who was able to spend his life among the wildest of δ D8

TEMLOTEUKOTOS.

45. Θαυμάσαι λόγον ἄξιόν φησιν Εὔδημος, καὶ

τῷ γε ἀνδρὶ τῷδε ὃ λόγος οὗτός ἐστι. νεανίας
θηρατικός, συμβιοῦν τοῖς τῶν ζῴων ἀγριωτάτοις
olds τε, ἐκ νέων μέντοι καὶ βρεφῶν. πεπωλευμέ-
νοις, εἶχε συντρόφους τε καὶ συσσίτους ἑαυτοῖς
γεγενημένους κύνα καὶ ἄρκτον καὶ λέοντα. καὶ
ταῦτα μὲν χρόνου πρὸς ἄλληλα εἰρήνην ἄγειν καὶ
φίλα νοεῖν σφίσι λέγει ὁ EvSnuos: μιᾶς δὲ τυχεῖν
ἡμέρας τὸν κύνα προσπαίξζοντα τὴν ἄρκτον καὶ
ὑπαικάλλοντα καὶ ἐρεσχελοῦντα, τὴν δὲ οὐκ
εἰωθότως ἐκθηριωθῆναι καὶ ἐμπεσεῖν τῷ κυνί, καὶ
λαφύξαι τοῖς ὄνυξι τοῦ δειλαίου τὴν γαστέρα καὶ

4 } 4 ΄“ ΄-
διασπάσασθαι αὐτόν: ἀγανακτῆσαι δὲ τῷ συμ-

, ξ > 2 4 4 \ e A ΄-
βάντι ὃ αὐτός φησι τὸν λέοντα καὶ οἱονεὶ μισῆσαι
4 ᾿ 3ἢ a :
TO ἄσπονδον τῆς ἄρκτου καὶ ἄφιλον, καὶ τὸν

464

animals, after they had been trained from the day
when they were young cubs, had living with him and
sharing each other’s food a Dog, a Bear, and a Lion..
And for a time, Eudemus says, they lived in peace
and mutualamity. But it happened one day that the
Dog was playing with the Bear, fawning upon it and
teasing it, when the Bear became unwontedly savage,
fell upon the Dog, and with its claws ripped the poor
creature’s belly open and tore him to pieces. The
Lion, says the writer, was indignant at what had
occurred and seemed to detest the Bear’s implaca-

—

f
1 od πάντῃ. 2 δυσμεταχείριστος.
,
8. ἀγαθὰ ἀγριώτατα ζῴων.
4 Jac: πεπωλευμένους.

265

AELIAN

7 e εξ - ~ ἷ
κύνα οἷα ἑταῖρον ποθῆσαι καὶ ἐς δικαίαν προελθεῖν

> 4 + 3 - “- id
ὀργήν, καὶ ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ ἄρκτῳ τὴν δίκην, καὶ τὰ
2. ἊΝ a 2 7 oe >
αὐτὰ δρᾶσαι αὐτήν, ἅπερ οὖν εἰργάσατο τὸν κύνα
7 Sd A *
ἐκείνη. “Ὅμηρος μὲν οὖν φησιν
¢ 3 \ : ‘4 “
ws ἀγαθὸν kat παῖδα καταφθιμένοιο λιπέσθαι:

ἔοικε δὲ ἡ φύσις δεικνύναι ὅτι καὶ φίλον ἑαυτῷ τι-
μωρὸν καταλιπεῖν, ὦ φίλε “Ὅμηρε, κέρδος ἐστί.
οἷόν τι καὶ περὶ Ζήνωνος καὶ KAedvbous νοοῦμεν
εἴ τι ἀκούομεν.

46. Ἔν ᾿Ινδοῖς γίνεται θηρία τὸ μέγεθος ὅσον
γένοιντο ἂν οἱ κάνθαροι, καὶ ἔστιν ἐρυθρά: κιν-
ναβάρει δὲ εἰκάσειας 1 ἄν, εἰ πρῶτον θεάσαιο
αὐτά. πόδας <de>® ἔχει ταῦτα μηκίστους, καὶ
προσάψασθαι μαλακά ἐστι. φύεται δὲ ἄρα ἐπὶ
τῶν δένδρων τῶν φερόντων τὸ ἤλεκτρον, καὶ
σιτεῖται τὸν τῶν φυτῶν καρπὸν τῶνδε. θηρῶσι
δὲ αὐτὰ οἱ ᾿Ινδοὶ καὶ ἀποθλίβουσι, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν
βάπτουσι τάς τε φοινικίδας καὶ τοὺς ὑπ᾽ αὐταῖς
χιτῶνας καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ἐθέλωσιν ἄλλο ἐς τήνδε
τὴν ᾿ χρόαν ἐκτρέψαι τε καὶ χρῶσαι. κομίζεται
δὲ ἄρα ἡ τοιάδε ἐσθὴς καὶ τῷ τῶν Περσῶν βα-
σιλεῖ. καὶ τό γε εὐειδὲς τῆς ἐσθῆτος δοκεῖ τοῖς
Πέρσαις θαυμαστόν, ἀντικρινομένη 8 δὲ ταῖς 4
Ilepody ἐπιχωρίοις κρατεῖ κατὰ πολὺ καὶ ἐκπλήτ-

1-3
εἰκασαις.
8

2 {δέΣ add. Η.

+ 3
Kal ἀντικρινομένη. 4 τοῖς.

266

ON ANIMALS, IV. 45-46

ΠΥ and want of affection: it was smitten with

rief for the Dog as for a companion, and being filled
with righteous anger, punished the Bear by treating
it exactly as the Bear had treated the Dog. Now
Homer says [Od. 3. 196]

‘So good a thing it is that when a man dies a son
should be left.’

And Nature seems to show that there is an advantage,
my dear Homer, in leaving a friend behind to
avenge one. Something of the same kind, we be-
lieve, occurred with Zeno and Cleanthes, if there is
some truth in what we hear.

46 (i). In India are born insects ὃ about the size of The Lae

beetles, and they are red. On seeing them for the
first time you might compare them to vermilion.
They have very long legs and are soft to the touch.
They flourish on those trees which produce amber,
and feed upon the fruit of the same. And the
Indians hunt them and crush them and with their
bodies dye their crimson cloaks and their tunics
beneath and everything else that they wish to con-
vert and stain to that colour. Garments of this
description are even brought to the Persian king, and
their beauty excites the admiration of the Persians,
and indeed when set against their native garments
far surpasses them and amazes people, according to

α Cleanthes succeeded his master Zeno as head of the Stoic
school at Athens, 263 B.c.

> This is the Tachardia lacca of India and S Asia, an insect
allied to the cochineal and kermes insects. It exudes a
resinous secretion (on to the twigs of certain trees, esp. those of
the species Ficus) which is lac. The crimson dye is the red
fluid in the ovary of the female.

267

AELIAN

TEL ὥς φ σι Κ f ‘ 2 \ ‘ A 3 ᾿
» 7” τησίας: ἐπεὶ Kal THY ἀδομένων.

“ > 2 7 ?
Σαρδιανικῶν 1 ὀξυτέρα τέ ἐστι καὶ τηλαυγεστέρα.

7 \ > ~ oa.
Τίψονται δὲ ἐνταῦθα τῆς ᾿Ινδικῆς, ἔνθα οἱ κάν-

θαροι, καὶ οἱ καλούμενοι κυνοκέφαλοι, οἷς τὸ
ὄνομα ἔδωκεν ἡ τοῦ σώματος ὄψις τε καὶ φύσις:
τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἀνθρώπων ἔχουσι, καὶ ἠμφιεσμένοι
βαδίζουσι δορὰς θηρίων. καί εἰσι δίκαιοι, καὶ
ἀνθρώπων λυποῦσιν οὐδένα, καὶ φθέγγονται μὲν
οὐδὲ ἕν, ὠρύονται δέ, τῆς γε μὴν ᾿Ινδῶν φωνῆς
ἐπαΐουσι. τροφὴ δὲ αὐτοῖς τῶν ζῴων τὰ ἀγρια'
αἱροῦσι δὲ αὐτὰ ῥᾷστα, καὶ γάρ εἰσιν ὦὥκιστοι, καὶ
ἀποκτείνουσι καταλαβόντες, καὶ ὀπτῶσιν οὐ πυρί
ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν εἵλην τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου ἐς μοίρας
διαξήναντες. τρέφουσι δὲ καὶ αἶγας καὶ οἷς.
καὶ σῖτον μὲν ποιοῦνται τὰ ἄγρια, πίνουσι δὲ τὸ
ἐκ τῶν θρεμμάτων γάλα ὧν τρέφουσι. μνήμην
δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀλόγοις ἐποιησάμην, καὶ εἰκότως"
ἔναρθρον γὰρ καὶ εὔσημον καὶ ἀνθρωπίνην φωνὴν
οὐκ ἔχουσιν.

47. Χλωρὶς ὄνομα ὄρνιθος, ἥπερ οὖν οὐκ ἂν
ἀλλαχόθεν ποιήσαιτο τὴν καλιὰν ἢ ἐκ τοῦ λεγομέ-
νου συμφύτου: ἔστι δὲ pila τὸ σύμφυτον εὑρεθῆναί
τε καὶ ὁρύξαι χαλεπή. στρωμνὴν δὲ ὑποβάλλεται
τρίχας καὶ ἔρια. καὶ ὃ μὲν θῆλυς ὄρνις οὕτω
κέκληται, ὃ δὲ ἄρρην, χλωρίωνα καλοῦσιν αὐτόν,
καὶ ἔστι τὸν βίον μηχανικός, μαθεῖν τε πᾶν ὅ τι

1 TOV Que

268

ON ANIMALS, IV. 46-47

τς Ctesias, because the colour is even stronger’ and

more brilliant than the much-vaunted wares of

Sardes.
(ii). And in the same part of India as the beetles, The Dog-
eads

are born the ‘ Dog-heads,’ as they are called—a name
which they owe to their physical appearance and
nature. For the rest they are of human shape and
go about clothed in the skins of beasts; and
they are upright and injure no man; and though
they have no speech they howl; yet they under-
stand the Indian language. Wild animals are their
food, and they catch them with the utmost ease, for
they are exceedingly swift of foot; and when they
have caught them they kill and cook them, not over
a fire but by exposing them to the sun’s heat after
they have shredded them into pieces. They also
keep goats and sheep, and while their food is the
flesh of wild beasts, their drink is the milk of the
animals they keep. I have mentioned them along
with brute beasts, as.is logical, for their speech is
inarticulate, unintelligible, and not that of man.

47. Golden Oriole@ is the name of a bird which The

declines to build its nest with anything but comfrey, εν ἜΣ

asitiscalled. Comfrey is a root which is hard to find
and hard to dig up. For bedding it lays down hairs
and wool. Chloris is the name given to the hen, but
the cock-bird they call chlorion, and it is clever at
getting a livelihood; it is quick to learn anything

2 ΑΘ]. has confused the habits of two different birds: it
is the Greenfinch, the yAwpis of Arist. HA 615 Ὁ 32, that
puilds its nest of comfrey, etc. But Ael. uses the word to
signify the Golden Oriole, a migratory bird, which the Green-
finch is not,

269

AELIAN
οὖν ᾿ἀγαθὸς καὶ τλήμων ὑπομεῖναι

χειμῶνος ἄφετον καὶ ἐλεύθερον οὐκ ἂν ἴδοι τις
αὐτόν, θεριναὶ . δὲ ὅταν ὑπάρξωνται 5. τροπαὶ
τοῦ ἔτους, τηνικαῦτ᾽ ἂν > ἐπιφαίνουτο. ᾿Αρκτοῦ-
ρός τε eméretAev,* ὁ δὲ ἀναχωρεῖ ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα,
ὁπόθεν καὶ δεῦρο ἐστάλη. ᾿

48. “Ὑπὸ θυμοῦ τεθηγμένον ταῦρον καὶ ὑβρί-
ζοντα ἐς κέρας καὶ σὺν ὁρμῇ ἀκατασχέτῳ ὅ
φερόμενον οὐχ ὁ βουκόλος ἐπέχει, οὐ φόβος
ἀναστέλλει, οὐκ ἄλλο τοιοῦτον, ἄνθρωπος δὲ
ἱστησιν αὐτὸν καὶ παραλύει τῆς ὁρμῆς τὸ «δεξιὸν
αὑτοῦ γόνυ διασφίγξας ταινίᾳ καὶ ἐντυχὼν αὐτῷ.

49. ‘H πάρδαλις πέντε ἔχει δακτύλους ἐν τοῖς
ποσὶ τοῖς προσθίοις, ἐν δὲ τοῖς κατόπιν τέτταρας.
ἡ δὲ θήλεια εὐρωστοτέρα τοῦ ἄρρενος. ἐὰν δὲ
γεύσηται ἀγνοοῦσα τοῦ καλουμένου παρδαλιάγχου
(πόα ; δέ ἐστιν), ἀποπάτημα ἀνθρώπου ποθὲν
λιχνεύσασα ® διασώζεται.

5 : ec A 7 / 7 |
(50. Οἱ ἱπποι, τὰς κάτω βλεφαρίδας οὔ φασιν
αὐτοὺς ἔχειν. ᾿Απελλῆν οὖν τὸν Ἐφέσιον αἰτίαν
- xew. ᾿Απελλῆν οὖν τὸν φέσιον᾽ αἰτίαν
ἐγουσιν ἐχειν, ἐπεί τινὰ ἵππον γράφων οὐ
. ΄ Ὁ, “~
παρεφύλαξε τὸ ἴδιον τοῦ ζῴου. οἱ δὲ οὐκ ᾿Απελ-
“ t
λῆν φασι ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν ἐνέγκασθαι, ἀλλὰ
4 \
Mixwva,’ ἀγαθὸν μὲν ἄνδρα γράψαι τὸ ζῶον
τοῦτο, σφαλέντα δ᾽ οὖν ἐς μό > εἰρημέ ΄
» σφαλέντα δ᾽ οὖν ἐς μόνον τὸ εἰρημένον.
1 Schn: ἠριναί uss, Η. 2 ὑπάρχωνται. |
τηνικαῦτα. 4 ᾿Αρκτούρου τε ἐπιτολαί.

καὶ ἀκατασχέτως. 8 Radermacher : ἀνιχνεύ
1 : evoaca MSS, Η.
* Meursius: Νίκωνα. .

270

4 3
θ ,ὕ , ἜΝ CYA ‘ ΤῊ = oe
μανθάνειν βάσανον, ὅταν ἁλῷ. Kal διὰ μὲν τοῦ

LSD EGOS RINSED

ON ANIMALS, IV. 47-50

whatsoever, and will patiently endure the ordeal of
learning when in captivity. Inthe winter season you
will not see it abroad and free, but at the occurrence of
the summer solstice, that is when it will appear. As
soon as Arcturus has risen® the bird returns to its
native haunts whence it came to us.

48. When once a Bull has been provoked to anger How to
and is threatening violence with his horns and rushing eee aall
on with irresistible speed, the herdsman cannot con-
trol him, fear cannot check him, nor anything else;
only a man may bring him to a halt and stay his
onrush if he tie a scarf round his own right knee and

face the Bull.

49. The Leopard has five toes on its fore-paws and The
four on its hind-paws. But the female is stronger een
than the male. If it unwittingly eats what is called
‘leopard’s-choke ’® (this is a herb), it licks some
human excrement and preserves its life.

50. Horses, they say, have no lower eyelashes, so The Horse,
that Apelles ὁ of Ephesus incurred blame for ignoring
this peculiarity in his picture of a horse. But others
assert that it was not Apelles who was charged with
this fault but Micon, a man of great skill in depicting
this animal, although on this one point he made a

mistake.

α The morning rising of Arcturus in the region of Rome is

on September 20.
> Aconite. |
¢ Apelles, the most renowned of Grecian painters, con-

temporary of Alexander the Great.—Micon, fl. middle of 5th
cent. B.c. at Athens, famous as painter and sculptor.

271

its eyelashes _

AELIAN

4 > / id
51. Tov otorpov φασιν ὅμοιον εἶναι μυίᾳ μεγίστη
bs &

\ \ \ > - ‘
καὶ εἶναι στερεὸν καὶ εὐπαγῇ καὶ ἔχειν κέντρον

ἰσχυρὸν ἠρτημένον τοῦ σώματος, προΐεσθαι δὲ
καὶ ἦχον ᾿βομβώδη. τὸν μὲν οὖν μύωπα ὅμοιον
ναι 1 τῇ καλουμένῃ κυνομυίᾳ, βομβεῖν δὲ τοῦ
οἴστρου μᾶλλον, ἔχειν δὲ ἔλαττον τὸ κέντρον.

52 : “Ovous ἀγρίους οὐκ ἐλάττους ἵππων τὰ
μεγέθη ἐν ἰνδοῖς γίνεσθαι πέπυσμαι. καὶ λευκοὺς
μὲν τὸ ἄλλο εἶναι σῶμα, THY γε μὴν κεφαλὴν
᾿ ἔχειν πορφύρᾳ παραπλησίαν, τοὺς δὲ ὀφθαλμοὺς
ἀποστέλλειν κυανοῦ χρόαν. κέρας δὲ ἔχειν ἐπὶ
τῷ μετώπῳ ὅσον πήχεως τὸ μέγεθος καὶ ἡμίσεος
προσέτι, καὶ τὸ μὲν κάτω μέρος τοῦ κέρατος
εἶναι λευκόν, τὸ δὲ ἄνω φοινικοῦν, τό γε μὴν
μέσον μέλαν δεινῶς. ἐκ δὴ τῶνδε τῶν ποικίλων
κεράτων πίνειν Ἰνδοὺς ἀκούω, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ
πάντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τῶν ᾿Ινδῶν κρατίστους, ἐκ
ee αὐτοῖς χρυσὸν περιχέαντας,2 οἷονεὶ
ψε ios 5 τισὶ κοσμήσαντας βραχίονα wpatov
ἀγάλματος. Kat φασι νόσων ἀφύκτων ἀμαθῆ καὶ
ἄπειρον γίνεσθαι Ω τὸν ἀπογευσάμενον ἐκ τοῦδε τοῦ
κέρατος. μήτε γὰρ σπασμῷ. ληφθῆναι ἂν αὐτὸν
μήτε τῇ καλουμένῃ ἱερᾷ νόσῳ, μήτε μὴν διαφθα-
ρῆναι φαρμάκοις. ἐὰν δέ τι καὶ πρότερον ἢ
πεπωκὼς κακόν, ἀνεμεῖν τοῦτο, καὶ ὑγιᾶ γίνε-
σθαι αὐτόν. πεπίστευται δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς
αν ὙΠῸ Πάυ ay Jie δὺς καὶ ἡμέρους καὶ ἀγρίους
καὶ τὰ ἄλλα μώνυχα θηρία ἀστραγάλους οὐκ
ἔχειν, οὐδὲ μὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι χολήν, ὄνους δὲ τοὺς

: pie bg i or φύεσθαι. :
> περιχέοντας. | ψελλίοις.

rs
ἢ
ἢ
of
i
ij

ON ANIMALS, IV. 51-52
51. They say that the Gadfly is like a fly of the The Gadfly

largest size; it is robust and compact and has a

strong sting attached to its body and emits a buzzing

sound. The Horsefly on the other hand ‘is like fie ToeBoe
dog-fly, as it is called, but though its buzz is louder

than the Gadfly its sting is smaller.*

52. I have learned that in India are born Ap beeen aor
Asses as big as horses. All their body is white ex-
cept for the head, which approaches purple, while
their eyes give off a dark blue colour. They have a
horn on their forehead as much as a cubit and a half its hom
long; the lower part of the horn is white, the upper
part is crimson, while the middle is jet-black. From
these variegated horns, I am told, the Indians drink,
but not all, only the most eminent Indians, and round
them at intervals they lay rings of gold, as though
they were decorating the beautiful arm of a
statue with bracelets. And they say that a man
who has drunk from this horn knows not, and
is free from, incurable diseases: he will never be
seized with convulsions nor with the sacred sick-
ness,’ as it is called, nor be destroyed by poisons.
Moreover if he has previously drunk some deadly
stuff, he vomits it up and is restored to health.

It is believed that Asses, both the tame and the
wild kind, all the world over and all other beasts with
uncloven hoofs are without knucklebones and without
gall in the liver; whereas those horned Asses of

@ Cp. 6. 37, and see Stud. wal. di fil. class. 12. 441.
6 Epilepsy.

ce tree sm orm mem

eal

4,5 γενέσθαι. 6 τὰ ἄλλα τά.

273

AELIAN

9 4 7 ? 4
Ἰνδοὺς ,λέγει Κτησίας τοὺς ἔχοντας τὸ κέρας
΄--Ο \ 3 a
ἀστραγάλους φορεῖν, καὶ ἀχόλους μὴ εἶναι: λέγον-
ται δὲ οἱ ἀστράγαλ 7, i ae
ut δ Τρ γαλοι. μέλανες εἶναι, καὶ εἴ τις
| maha συντρίψειεν, εἶναι τοιοῦτοι καὶ τὰ ἔνδον
τ .
εἰσὶ O€ καὶ WKLOTOL οἵδε οὐ μόνον τῶν ὄνων
,

3 ‘ το 1 Ny 7
ἀλλὰ Kat ἵππων καὶ ἐλάφων: καὶ ὑπάρχονται μὲν

ξ ~~ ~

ἡσυχῆ τοῦ δρόμου, κατὰ μικρὰ δὲ ἐπιρρώννυνται
καὶ διώκειν ἐκείνους τοῦτο δὴ τὸ ποιητικὸν
μεταθεῖν τὰ ἀκίχητά ἐστιν. ὅταν γε μὴν ὁ θῆλυς
τέκῃ, καὶ περιάγηται τὰ ἀρτιγενῆ, σύννομοι
αὐτοῖς οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν φυλάττουσι * τὰ βρέφη
διατριβαὶ δὲ τοῖς ὄνοις τῶν Ἰνδικῶν πεδίων τὰ
ἐρημοότατὰ ἐστιν. ἰόντων 8 δὲ τῶν ᾿Ινδῶν ἐπὶ τὴν
ἄγραν αὐτῶν, τὰ μὲν ἁπαλὰ καὶ ἔτι νεαρὰ ἑαυτῶν
νέμεσθαι κατόπιν ἐῶσιν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ὑπερμαχοῦσι
καὶ ἰασιὶ τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν ὁμόσε, καὶ τοῖς κέρασι
παίουσι. τοσαύτη δὲ ἄρα ἡ ἰσχὺς ἡ τῶνδέ ἐστιν
οὐδὲν ἀντέχει αὐτοῖς παιόμενον, ἀλλὰ εἴκει a
διακόπτεται καὶ ἐὰν τύχῃ κατατέθλασται 4 καὶ
ἀχρεῖόν ἐστιν. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἵππων πλευραῖς ἐμπε-
σόντες διέσχισαν καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐξέχεαν
ἔνθεν του καὶ ὀρρωδοῦσιν αὐτοῖς πλησιάζειν οἷ
ΤΕΣ; τὸ γάρ τοι τίμημα τοῦ γενέσθαι πλησίον.
ἀνατὸς ἐστιν οἴκτιστος αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀπόλλυνται
καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ ἵπποι. δεινοὶ δέ εἰσι καὶ λακτί

τς Saree ὃ at λακτίσαι.
Ὥγματα ὃὲ apa ἐς τοσοῦτον καθικνεῖται αὐτῶν
ὡς ἀποσπᾶν τὸ περιληφθὲν πᾶν. ζῶντα μὲν οὖν
τέλειον οὐκ ἂν λάβοις, βάλλονται δὲ ἃ Cae
τέλειο ἂν λάβοις, β L δὲ ἀκοντίοις καὶ
ὀιστοῖς, καὶ τὰ κέρατα ὃ ἐξ αὐτῶν ᾿ἸΙνδοὶ νεκρῶν
σκυλεύσαντες ὡς εἶπον περιέπουσιν. ὄνων δὲ

1 - f
συντρίψει or -τρίψαι. 2 φυλάττονται.

274

ON ANIMALS, IV. 52

India, Ctesias says, have knucklebones and are not its knuckle-

without gall. Their knucklebones are said to bee
black, and if ground down are black inside as well.
And these animals are far swifter than any ass or
even than any horse or any deer. . They begin to run,
it is true, at a gentle pace, but gradually gather
strength until to pursue them is, in the language of
poetry, to chase the unattainable.

When the dam gives birth and leads her new-born
colts about, the sires herd with, and look after, them.
And these Asses frequent the most desolate plains in

India. So when the Indians go to hunt them, the hunted by.
the Indians

Asses allow their colts, still tender and young, to
asture in their rear, while they themselves fight on
their behalf and join battle with the horsemen and
strike them with their horns. Now the strength of
these horns is such that nothing can withstand their
blows, but everything gives way and snaps or, it may
be, is shattered and rendered useless. They have in
the past even struck at the ribs of a horse, ripped it
open, and disembowelled it. For that reason the
horsemen dread coming to close quarters with them,
since the penalty for so doing is a most lamentable
death, and both they and their horses are killed.
They can kick fearfully too. Moreover their bite
goes so deep that they tear away everything that
they have grasped. A full-grown Ass one would
never capture alive: they are shot with javelins and
arrows, and when dead the Indians strip them
of their horns, which, as I said, they decorate.

a .-- ὠὀΓἑ τπ----ς.--ςρ-ς-------

8. 5 >? > 2
ἐστιν. ἰόντων } ἐπιόντων.
4 κατέθλασται.
7 ᾽
δ᾽ κέρατα οὕτω τά.

275

ABELIAN

ἽἼ ~ 37 /
νδῶν ἃ 3 ΣΤ Kp
βρωτόν ἐστι {τὸν κρέας: τὸ δὲ αἴτιον,

πέφυκ ἶ 4
εν εἶναι πικρότατον.

5 : > \ wy i ~
= heen oe Ke ζῷα, φυσικὴν δὲ ἔχειν
ἀριί mv μὴ owaxlerta Εὔδημός φησι, καὶ
ἐπάγει μαρτύριον ἐκεῖνο τῶν ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ Coa
τὸ δὲ ὄνομα οὐ λέγει: ἃ δὲ λέγε ee
τὸ δὲ ὄνομα eyes ἃ δὲ λέγει, ταῦτά ἐστιν
Ὄχι ἂν θηράσῃ, ποιεῖν μοίρας ἕνδεκα, καὶ τὰς μὲν
έκα σιτεῖσθαι, τὴν δὲ ἑνδεκάτην ἀπολείπειν (ὅτῳ
δὲ καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ καὶ ἐννοίᾳ τίνι σκοπεῖν ἀξιον)
ἀπαρχήν γέ τινα ἢ δεκάτην, ὡς ἂν εἴποις. οὐκοῦν
ἐκπλαγῆναι δίκαιον τὴν αὐτοδίδακτον σοφίαν
(τήνδε) ᾿ τὴν γάρ τοι 3 μονάδα καὶ δυάδα καὶ
τοὺς ἑξῆς ἀριθμοὺς ζῷον οἷδεν ἄλογον: ἀνθρώπῳ
δὲ δεῖ πόσων μὲν τῶν μαθημάτων, πόσων δὲ τῶν
πληγῶν, ἵνα ἢ μάθῃ ταῦτα εὖ καὶ καλῶς ἢ

πολλάκις μὴ μάθῃ;

,
δά, Λέγουσιν Αἰγύπτιοι (καὶ ῥᾳθύμως αὐτῶν
οὐκ ἀκούουσιν ἄνδρες φιλόσοφοι) ἔν τινι νομῷ
τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, ὅνπερ οὖν ἐξ Ἡρακλέους τοῦ
Διὸς ὀνομάζουσι, παῖδα ὡραῖον ὡς ἂν Αἰγύπτιον
χηνῶν ποιμένα, ἐράστριαν ἀσπίδα λαχεῖν καὶ
μέντοι <kat>* παρ᾽ αὐτῇ εἶναι θαυμαστόν oe
οὐτῶσαν TH ἐρωμένῳ ὄναρ προλέγειν τὰ Aon
ἀμ eg ge eyew τὰς ἐπιβου-
ἊΣ Ss ἐς αὐτὸν πανουργουμένας ἐκ θατέρου
Ἴρου, omep ἣν αὐτῇ σύννομον, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις
ζηλοτυπίᾳ TH πρὸς τὸν παῖδα ὑπὲρ τῆς νύμφ ς 5
ταῦτα πειρωμένου δρᾶν τοῦ ἄρρενος" sip be

1 {τόν add. H.
3 Schn: τὴν δέ ye.

2 <rfvde> add. H.
4 <xai> add. H,
276

ON ANIMALS, IV. 52-54

But thé flesh of Indian Asses is uneatable, the reason
being that it is naturally exceedingly bitter.

53. Eudemus declares that animals though devoid A calcu-
. . atin
of reason have a natural instinct for numbers, even πὰ

though untaught, and adduces as evidence this ani-
mal from Libya. Its name he does not mention, but
what he says is this. Whatever it catches it divides
into eleven portions; ten of these it eats, but the.
eleventh it leaves (it is worth considering for whose
benefit, from what cause, and with what intent) as a
kind of first-fruits or tithe, so to say. Hence one’s
amazement at this self-taught skill is justifiable: ἃ
brute beast understands 1, 2, and the following num-
bers; then think of all the instruction, all the whip-
pings a human being needs if he is to learn these
things well and truly—or often, if he is not to learn

them.

54. The Egyptians assert (and scholars do not lend Asp in love
an indifferent ear to what they say) that in a certain Qooscherd

district of Egypt which they name after Heracles *
the son of Zeus, a good-looking boy, as Egyptian
boys go, who herded geese, was beloved and even
admired by a female Asp. It would keep company
with its favourite and warn him in a dream as he slept
of the plots that another savage creature, its fellow
you might say, was hatching against him: the male
‘Asp was attempting his life, being as it were jealous
of the boy on account of its wedded bride. And the

@ Nomos Heracleotes in Middle Egypt, of which the capital
was Heracleopolis.
Ogee a Teak tS ce τ----΄---
| 8 τῆς νύμφης τῆς ἀσπίδος.
277

AELIAN

ς /

ὑπακούοντα * πείθεσθαι καὶ φυλάττεσθαι. Ὅμη
᾿ S 3) ; , is

pos pev οὖν ἔδωκεν ἵππῳ φωνήν, ἀσπίδι δὲ ἡ

φύσις, ἣ νόμων οὐδὲν μέλει, φησὶν Εὐριπίδης.

7 3 ~
ὅδ. “Καμήλους ἔτη βιοῦν καὶ πεντήκοντα ἀκήκοα
τὰς δὲ ἐκ Βάκτρων πέ προϊέ οὐ ey Ble
deme iKTpwY πέπυσμαι προϊέναι καὶ ἐς δὶς
9,
τοσαῦτα. καὶ οἱ γε ἄρρενες καὶ πολεμικοί
ἐκτέμνουσιν αὐτοὺς ot Ba ἣν ABO κεὶ
erie τοὺς οἱ Βάκτριοι, τὴν ὕβριν καὶ
τὸ ἀκολασταίνειν ἀφαιροῦντες, τὴν δὲ ῥώμην
αὐτοῖς φυλάττοντες. κάονται 5 δὲ at θήλειαι τὰ
>
ἐξάπτοντα és olotpov μέρη αὐτάς.

56. Φώκην Evdnpos λέγει ἐρασθῆναι ἀνδρὸς
σπογγιὰς θηρεύειν συνειθισμένου, καὶ προσ, αν
τῆς θαλάττης ἔνθα ἦν ὕπαντρος πέτρα ὁμιλεῖν
“ΠΝ τῶν δὲ ὁμοτέχνων ἦν ἄρα οὗτος αἴσχιστος

λὰ ἐδόκει τῇ φώκῃ ὡραιότατος εἶναι. καὶ
θαῦμα tows οὐδέν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἄνθρωποι πολλάκις
τῶν ἧττον καλῶν ἠράσθησαν, ἐς τοὺς ὡραιοτάτου
οὐ παθόντες οὐδὲ ἕν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμελήσαντες αὐτῶν :

3 7
57. Ἀριστοτέλης ὅ λέγει τὸν ὑπὸ ὕδρου πληγέντα
παραχρῆμα. ὀσμὴν βαρυτάτην -4 Pave,
"ραχρῆμα. ὀσμὴ ρυτάτην "ἀπεργάζεσθαι, ὡς
μὴ οἱὸν τε εἶναι προσπελάσαι αὐτῷ τινα. λήθην

TE κα ts v :
ταχεῖσθαι τοῦ πληγέντος * 6 αὐτὸς λέγει καὶ

7 A 39 A “
vt καὶ ἀχλὺν κατὰ τῶν ὀμμάτων πολλήν, καὶ
5
ὕτταν ἐπιγίνεσθαι Kat τρόμον εὖ ὃ μάλα ἰσχυρόν
καὶ ἀπόλλυσθαι διὰ τρίτης αὐτόν. ᾿

Ν ἐπακούοντα. 2 καίονται.
; ᾿Απολλόδωρος Wellmann.

τῷ πληγέντι,
5 Reiske: εὐθύς.

278

ON ANIMALS, IV. 54-57

boy would listen and obey and be on his guard.
Now Homer [Il. 19. 404] allowed a horse to speak,
and Nature, who according to Euripides * recks nought
of laws’ [ fr. 920 N], did the same to an Asp.

55. I have heard that Camels live for fifty years, The Camel

but I have ascertained that those from Bactria live as °

much as twice that number. The males which are
used in battle, the Bactrians castrate, thereby rid-
ding them of their violent and intemperate dis-

osition while preserving their strength. But in the
case of the females they cauterize those parts which

inflame them to lust.

Bactria

56. Eudemus asserts that a Seal] fell in love with Seal inlove

a man whose habit was to dive for sponges, and that
it would emerge from the sea and. consort with him
where there was a rocky cavern. Now this man was
the ugliest of his fellows, but in the eyes of the Seal

with a Diver

the handsomest. Perhaps there is nothing to wonder. .

at, for even human beings have frequently loved the
less beautiful of their kind, being quite unaffected by
the best-looking and paying no attention to them.

57. Aristotle says? that when a man has been
bitten by a Water-snake he at once exhales a most
foul odour, so much so that nobody can come near
him. He says also that forgetfulness descends upon
the bitten nian and a thick mist upon his eyes, and
that madness ensues and a violent trembling, and
that after three days he dies.

¢ Not in any extant work. Wellmann (Hermes 26. 334)
would substitute the name of Apollodorus for that of Aristotle,
which he regards as a slip on the part of Ael. Cp. Nic. 2h. 425.

279

The Water-
spake, its
bite

AELIAN

58. Τὴν oivdda ὄρνεον εἰδέναι χρὴ οὖσαν, οὐ

x Ὁ + f \ 3 7
μὴν ὡς τινες ἄμπελον. λέγει δὲ ᾿Αριστοτέλης
μεῖζον μὲν αὐτὸ εἶναι φάττης, περιστερᾶς γε μὴν
ἧττον. καλοῦνται δὲ ὡς ἀκούω καὶ ἐν τῇ Σπάρτῃ
οἰναδοθῆραί τινες. λέγοιτο δ᾽ ἂν καὶ κίρκη διαλ-
λάττειν κίρκου οὐ μόνον τῷ γένει ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ

΄ 1 Ν
φύσει.

_ 59. Kvavos (τὸ > ὄνομα, ὄρνις τὴν ; φύσιν,
ἀπάνθρωπος τὸν τρόπον, μισῶν μὲν τὰς ἀστικὰς
διατριβὰς καὶ τὰς κατ᾽ οἰκίαν αὐλίσεις, φεύγων
δὲ καὶ τὰς ἐν ἀγροῖς διατριβὰς καὶ ὅπου καλύβαι
τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων αὔλια, χαίρων δὲ ἐρημίαις καὶ

a? eas > + A ᾿ . 3 ,
οὖς ἡδόμενος ὀρείοις κορυφαῖς καὶ πάγοις ἀποτόμοις.

arr’ οὐδὲ ἠπείροις φιληδεῖ οὐδὲ 8 νήσοις ἀγαθαῖς,
Σκύρῳ. δὲ καὶ εἴ τις τοιαύτη ἑτέρα ἄγαν λυπρὰ
καὶ ἄγονος καὶ ἀνθρώπων χηρεύουσα ὡς τὰ πολλά.

60. Σπίνοι δὲ ἄρα σοφώτεροι καὶ ἀνθρώπων τὸ
μέλλον προεγνωκέναι. ἴσασι γοῦν καὶ χειμῶνα
μέλλοντα, καὶ χιόνα ἐσομένην προμηθέστατα
2 7 ᾿ a“ κι , 2. ᾿
ἐφυλάξαντο. καὶ τοῦ καταληφθῆναι δέει ἀποδι-

7 A “
δράσκουσιν ἐς τὰ ἀλσώδη χωρία, καὶ αὐτοῖς τὰ

/ b) 5
δάση κρησφύγετα ὡς ἂν εἴποις ἐστίν.

1 λέγοιτο... φύσει] λέγοιτο δ᾽ ἄν τι καὶ κ. διαλλάττον τοῦ κ.
ὄρνεον. . . γένει φασὶν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν φύσιν. τη
. 3 τόξ add. ἢ.

3 οὔτε. . οὔτε.

4 , 4 \ ,
χωρία καὶ τὰ δασέα.

ON ANIMALS, IV. 58-60

| 58. You must know that the Oenas (Rock-dove) is a The Rock-

bird and not, as some maintain, a vine. And ve
Aristotle says [HA 544 b 6] that it is larger than a
ring-dove but smaller than a pigeon. In Sparta ie
I hear, there are men called Oenadotherae (Rock-

dove-catchers).

The Circe may be said to differ from the falcon not The Circe

only in sex but in its nature too.

59. ‘ Blue-fowl 5 is its name; itis a bird; its ways The
are apart from man; it hates to linger in cities or to
lodge in a house; it even avoids lingering in fields or
where there are cottages and huts belonging to man ;
it likes desolate places and delights in ΠΡ ΠΝ ἰὴ οἰ
and precipitous crags. It has no love even tor t :
mainland or for pleasant islands, but for Scyros a
any equally dreary, barren spot, generally destitute
of human beings. : | |

60. Chaffinches, it seems, are cleverer than man τ ae
predicting the future. For instance, they can te
when winter is coming, and they take the most sae |
ful precautions against an impending snowfall, ες
for fear of being overtaken they flee to the wood-
lands where the thick foliage affords them, as you
might say, an asylum.

@ Perh. the ‘ Syrian Nuthatch.’

Blue-fowl

E
“~ A ~ ᾿
: Γῆν τὴν Ἰ]αριανῶν καὶ τὴν γείτονα ἸΚύξικον
“A > -
ὄρνιθας οἰκεῖν μέλανας ἰδεῖν φασι, τὸ δὲ σχῆμα
> \
εἴποις ἱέρακας αὐτοὺς av. ἄγευστοι δέ εἰσι

~ \ ~
σαρκῶν, καὶ σωφρονοῦσι περὶ τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ
3

᾿ ? “A \ , >
ee σπέρματα εἶναι δεῖπνον ἀπόχρη. ὅταν
,
ε ὑπάρξηται τὸ μετόπωρον, ἐς τὴν ᾿Ιλιάδα γῆν

3 7 ~ : ~
ἀγέλη τῶνδε τῶν ὀρνίθων (καλοῦσι δὲ αὐτοὺς

/
μέμνονας) εὐθὺ τοῦ Μεμνονείου τάφου φοιτῶσι
λέγουσι δὲ οἱ τὴν Τρωάδα ἔτι οἰκοῦντες ἡ boy
ewat τι τῷ “Hobs * Μέμνονι. dverov-? καὶ ey
μὲν τὸν νεκρὸν ἐς τὰ Σοῦσα τὰ οὕτω Μεμνόνεια
ὑμνούμενα ὕπο τῆς μητρὸς κομισθέντα μετέωρον
ἐκ τῶν φονῶν τυχεῖν κηδεύσεως τῆς προσηκούσης
αὐτῷ, ἐπονομάζεσθαι ὃ δέ οἱ τὴν στήλην ;
ἐνταῦθα ἄλλως. οὐκοῦν τοὺς ὄρνιθας τοὺς eae
μοὺς τοῦ ypwos τοῦ προειρημένου ἀφικνεῖσθαι
κατὰ πᾶν ἔτος, καὶ διαιρεῖσθαί τε καὶ διασχίζεσθαι
ἐς ἔχθραν καὶ διαφοράν, καὶ μάχεσθαι μάχην καρ-
Tepav,” ἔστ᾽ ἂν οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἀποθάνωσιν of
ἡμίσεις, οἱ δὲ ἀπέλθωσιν of κρατήσαντες ἔνθ
(τοι ὃ καὶ ἀφίκοντο. ὅπως <pev>® οὖν τάξι
δρᾶται καὶ ὁπόθεν, οὔ μοι σχολὴ φιλοσοφεῖν co
> 9
2

τῷ τῆς “Hodis mss, H, τῆς del. De Stefani.
εἰς τιμήν.
3 Schn: ὀνομάζεσθαι.

4 A 1 3 ~
KQPTEPay καὶ ES τοσοῦτον.

284

BOOK V

1. They say that the country about Parium ° and The Ruff

ἢ neighbour Cyzicus are inhabited by birds black in

appearance; from their shape you would say that
they were hawks. But they do not touch flesh, are
temperate in their appetite, and for them seeds are a
sufficient meal. And when late autumn sets in, a
flock of these birds (they call them Memnons) ἢ resort
to the land round Ilium, making straight for the tomb
of Memnon.* And the people who still inhabit the
Tyoad assert that there is a tomb there dedicated to
Memnon the son of Eos (Dawn); and since the actual
dead body was borne through the air by his mother
from the midst of the carnage to Susa (celebrated for
this reason as ‘ Memnonian’), where it was awarded |
a becoming burial, the monument in the Troad is
called after him to no purpose. And so year by year
the birds named after the aforesaid hero arrive and
separate themselves into hostile factions and fight
violently until half their number are killed, when the
victors depart and return whence they came. How
this all comes to pass and for what reason, I have at
the moment no leisure to speculate, nor yet to
track down the mysteries of Nature. This however I

@ Town at the western end of the S coast of the Propontis;_

Cyzicus is some 40 mi. further E.
> Ruffs.

δ. <rovy add. Η. ὁ (μέρ add. H.

285

AELIAN

ΩΝ 4
οὐδὲ L τῇ j ἱ ἀνιχν
Boe μὴν τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἀπόρρητα ἀνιχνεύ
εἰρήσεται δὲ ἐκεῖ ἐπιτά -
ee δὲ ἐκεῖνο. ἐπιτάφιον τῷ παιδὶ τῷ τῇ
᾿ ὧι καὶ Τιθωνοῦ τοῦτον ὅσα ἔτη τὸν ae
ἀθλοῦσ ΐ re
ει ἐν οὐ προειρημένοι ὄρνιθες. Πελίαν δὲ.
ἅπα ὑγῶ |
ag ἐτίμησαν EAAnves ἀγῶνι καὶ ᾿Αμαρυγκέᾳα
Kat μέντοι καὶ Ἰ]Πάτροκλ i τὸ a
ἄτροκλον καὶ τὸν ἀντίπαλον

7 :
Μέμνονος τὸν ᾿Αχιλλέα.

2, Ἔν τῇ Ἵ ῦ ; |
ne ἢ Κρήτῃ γλαῦκα μὴ γίνεσθαί φασι τὸ
+
: ράπαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εσκομισθεῖσαν ἔξωθεν ἀπο
νήσκειν. ἐ = ὁ ᾿
ἤσκειν. ἔοικε δὲ ὁ Ἐῤριπίδης ἀβασανίστως
πεποιηκέναι τὸν Ἰολύειδον ὁρῶντα τήνδε τὴν
ὄρνιν κα ITH Ἵ |
pow καὶ ἐξ αὑτῆς τεκμηράμενον ὅτι εὐρήσει τὸν
τεθνεῶτα τῷ Μίνωι υἱόν.1 Ἵ
- τ ὑ υἱὸν." πυνθάνομαι δὲ ἔγωγε
ὄ ΄- od :
ee pitas ἄδειν καὶ διδάσκειν ἐκεῖνα πρὸς
τοῖ 3 a
a ἢ διηνυσμένοις. δῶρον λαβεῖν τὴν γῆν
ν 3 7 Ἂν
τὴν Ἀρητικὴν ἐκ Διός, οἷα δήπου τροφὸν καὶ τὴν
iene m3 t >
A ψιν τὴν "ὑμνουμένην ἀποκρύψασαν αὐτόν, ἐλευ-
ἐρα ῦ
ἔραν εἶναι θηρίου πονηροῦ καὶ ἐπὶ λύμῃ yeyewn-
μένου * παντός, καὶ μή ΩΣ pal ge
oi » Καὶ μήτε αὐτὴν τίκτειν μήτε
εν κομισθὲν τρέφειν. καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀποδεί-
κνυσθαι τοῦ δώ nv ἐσχύ av: “dp
: ἡώρου τὴν ἰσχύν: τῶν γάρ τοι
προειρημένων ἄγονον εἶναι" εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ mei,
ἢ ἐλέγχῳ τῆς ἐκ Διὸς yd jee
ἦ ἐλγχς ἧς ἐκ Διὸς χάριτος τῶν ὀθνείων τι
ἀγάγοι, τὸ δὲ ἐπιψαῦσαν μόνον τῆς γῆς ἀπόλ

1 δι: # 4

εὑρήσει καὶ τὸν Tad, δ
| ! KOV TOY Ὁ 0 Μί Ὁ
ye τεθνεῶτα τοῦ Μίνω (τῶ Μίνωι
2

γεγενημένου.
286

“pill mention.
-“eontest around the tomb of the son of Eos and

: Tithonus year after year, whereas the Greeks. held |
put one contest in honour of Pelias,* of Amarynceus, ᾿

‘abroad it dies.

πρῶ
ssivteatetase atin

ON ANIMALS, V. 1-2

The aforesaid birds engage in this

and even of Patroclus, and of Achilles the adversary

of Memnon.

9. They say that the Owl is not found at all in Crete κοίο
Crete, and moreover that if it is introduced from Con”
So it seems that Euripides un-
critically represented Polyeidus ’ as seeing this
bird and thereby conjecturing that he would
discover the dead son of Minos. And I myself
have ascertained that the Cretan histories, beside
the facts already told, relate in verse and prose
how Crete received from Zeus a boon—seeing that
the island had nursed him and effected that famous
concealment of him—, namely that it should be
free of all noxious creatures born to do harm,
that it should neither produce them nor support
them if introduced from abroad. And the island
proves how potent this boon was, for it produces none
of the aforesaid creatures. But if a man by way of
trying and testing the extent of Zeus’s favour im-
ports one of these alien creatures, it has but to touch

4 King of Iolcus; his son Acastus paid him the honour of
funeral games.—Amarynceus, acc. to a later legend, sent help
to the Greeks against Troy; see Hom. Il. 23. 630.—For the
funeral games of Patroclus see Hom. Jl. 23.—The death of
Achilles is referred to but not described in Hom. Od. 24. 37.

> Polyeidus (i.e. the much-knowing), son of Coeranus and.
descendant of Melampus, famous as seer and wonder-worker,
divined through the presence of an owl that the body of
Glaucus, the son of Minos, lay dead in a cask of honey and
restored him to life. See Nauck 16 3, p. 558.

287

AELIAN

Avobat. οὐκοῦν τοὺς θηρῶ ὴς 6

vr: | 5

ee ; θηρῶντας τοὺς ὄφεις ἐν τῇ
i in τοιαῦτα παλαμᾶσθαι. ἡμερώσαν-

“-ς Ὡ ,
ΡΣ ἐς θαῦμα οἵδε οὗ γόητες τῶν δακετῶν
ἢ 4 Fest

ηρίων πολλά, καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς ἐπάγονται φόρτ

γῆς τῆς Λιβύσσης σφί cpa ονθαν

γ a Jaons σφίσι TO ἀρκοῦν ἐς THY χρείαν

sown ela δὲ τῶν ὄφεων τοῦτο δρῶσιν, ἵνα μὴ

» Ά --
ἀπόλωνται" καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἐς τὴν νῆσον τὴν προει-
9
pe ὅταν ἀφίκωνται, οὐ πρότερον κατατίθενται
τὰ ζῷα, πρὶν ἢ ὑποσπεῖραι τὴν ξένην γῆν ἣν ἐπά-

+ 3 4 4
γονται. Kat ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀθροίζουσι τὰ πλήθη, καὶ
>

μέντοι καὶ τοὺς ἀνοήτους τε καὶ πολλοὺς ἐκπλήτ-
τουσιν. ἕως μὲν οὖν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν κατὰ το
μένει. συνεσπειραμένον τε καὶ ἱδρυμένον a
ἐπανίσταται μέν, οὐ μὴν ὑπερβάλλει τὴν olicelay
κόνιν καὶ σύντροφον, ἐς τοσοῦτον ζῇ: ἐὰν δὲ
ἐκφοιτήσῃ ἐς τὴν ὀθνείαν καὶ ἑαυτῷ ξένην γῆ
τὴν ἐχθραίνουσαν αὐτῷ, ἀποθνήσκει, καὶ seas

2 Ἁ 4 3 ~ A ~
εἰ yap τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Διὸς νεῦμα ἀτελὲς οὔτε πρὸς τὴν

é > ‘4
έ 4 4 if
Θ τιν ἐγένετο οὔτε πρὸς ἄλλον τινὰ γένοιτο ἃ
σχολῇ δήπου πρὸς 77, Tob sy exélve
: ἷ ρ τὴν αὐτοῦ τροφὸν ἐκεῖνο

ON ANIMALS, V. 2-3

the soil and it dies. Accordingly snake-hunters from and to

the neighbouring Libya use devices of this kind.
These charmers of venomous reptiles tame a great

number and bring them for people to wonder at, and

with them they import a load of soil from Libya
sufficient for their need. This they do by way of
recaution, to prevent the snakes from meeting their
death. With this object, when they arrive at the
aforesaid island they do not put down their snakes
until they have laid a bed of the imported soil. This
done, they collect crowds and fill the unintelligent
majority with amazement. Now as long as each
snake remains coiled up and settled in its place, or
rises up without however crossing the limit of its
own native dust, so long it lives. If however it
strays on to the alien soil which is strange and hostile
to it, it dies, and naturally so. For if the will of Zeus
did not fail of effect in the case of Thetis, and would
not fail in the case of any other person, far less, 1
think, will it prove ineffectual when his own nurse is

concerned.

Snakes

ανεῖται ἄκυρον.
3. The river Indus is devoid of savage creatures ; ἃ monstrous
nake in

. |
ὃ. ' 0 ποταμὸς 0 ᾿Ινδὸς ἄθηρός ἐστι, μόνος δὲ
ἐν αὐτῷ τίκτεται σκώληξ φασί. καὶ τὸ μὲν εἶδο
αὐτῷ ὁποῖον δήπου καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τῶν ξύλων ᾿
νωμένοις TE καὶ τρεφομένοις, ἑπτὰ «δὲ cae τὸ
μῆκος προήκουσιν οἱ ἐκεῖθι, εὑρεθεῖεν δ᾽ ἂν καὶ
μείζους ἔτι καὶ ἐλάττους: τὸ πάχος δὲ αὐτῶν
δεκαετὴς παῖς γεγονὼς μόλις ταῖς χερσὶ περιβάλ-
λειν ἀρκέσει." τούτοις δὴ ἄνω μὲν εἷς ὀδοὺ
προσπέφυκε, κάτω δὲ ἄλλος, τετράγωνοι δὲ ἄ "ὦ
πυγόνος δὲ τὸ μῆκος. τοσοῦτον δὲ ἄρα "Tar

288

the only thing that is born in it is a worm, so they the mdus

say, in appearance like those that are engendered in,.

and feed upon, timber. But these creatures attain
to a length of as much as seven cubits, though one
might find specimens both larger and smaller. Their
bulk is such that a ten-year-old boy could hardly en-
circle it with his arms. A single tooth is attached to
the upper jaw, another to the lower, and both are
square and about eighteen inches long; and such is

a Τ -ο-------

1 θηρία. 2 πηχῶν MSS always.
8 ἀρκέσειε most MSS, ἰσχύσει V, (ἂν) ἀρκέσειε Jae.

289

VOL. I.

AELIAN

39 7 3 a i 7
ὀδόντων αὐτοῖς τὸ κράτος ἐστί: πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ὑπ"
7

> “ 7
αὐτοῖ , ᾷ ᾿
ς λάβωσι συντρίβουσι ῥᾷστα, ἐάν τε λίθος ἣ

37
ea ἴω at lg
Ww TE Ἴμερον ζῷον ἢ ἄγριον. Kat μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν
μὲν κάτω καὶ ἐν {τῷ} ἢ τοῦ. πὐταμον ta.
i αἱ ἐν (τῷ) βυθῷ τοῦ ποταμοῦ δια-
τρίβουσι, τῷ πηλῷ καὶ τῇ ἰλύι φιληδοῦντες, καὶ
ἐντεῦθεν οὐκ εἰσὶν ἔκδ j ἴασο
ἐντεῦ εἰσὶν ἔκδηλοι- νύκτωρ δὲ προΐα
ἐς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ὅτῳ ἃ j ) ἵππω ἢ
Bot ἢ ὁ ; τῷ ἂν περιτύχωσιν, ἢ ἵππῳ ἢ
7
οἱ ἢ ὄνῳ, συντρίβουσιν αὐτόν, εἶτα σύρουσιν αὶ
τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἤθη, καὶ ἐσθί ἐν τῷ δ
J 00, καὶ ἐσθίουσιν ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ, καὶ
\ , ἕ ἘΣ
πάντα βρύκουσι 5 τὰ μέλη πλὴν τῆς τοῦ ζῴ
κοιλίας. εἰ δὲ αὐ καὶ ἐν ἡμέ 1 ie
αὐτοὺς καὶ ev ἡμέρᾳ πιέζοι λιμός
2

HH Ld ,ὔ
εἴτε κάμηλος πίνοι ἐπὶ τῆς ὄχθης εἴτε βοῦς,
9

m2 t \ ,
aaa hed As καὶ λαβόμενοι ἄκρων τῶν χειλέων
α ~ ,
ater eh αβῶς, ὁρμῇ βιαιοτάτῃ καὶ ἕλξει ἐγκρατεῖ
ἐς τὸ ὕδωρ ἄγουσι, καὶ δεῖπνον ἴσχουσι. δορὰ δὲ
€ 4
ἕκαστον περιαμπέχει TO πάχος καὶ δύο δακτύλ
ἄγρα δὲ αὐτῶν 8 καὶ θή ) 5 Be
a 2 kat θήρα τὸν τρόπον τόνδε
bag ἀγκιστρον παχὺ Kal ἰσχυρὸν ἁλύ
σει σ OL : a :
sie emp A peCnP =r καθιᾶσι, προσδήσαντες
ὑτῷ λευκολίνου ταλαντιαῖον * ὅπλον, ἐρίῳ κατ
λήσαντες καὶ τὸϑ καὶ τό, ft Bias a
Kal TO, ἵνα μὴ διατράγῃ 6
σκώληξ αὐτά, ἀναπή ἀπ εν
ΠΝ νῶν ναπήξαντες δὲ ἐς τὸ ἄγκιστρον
a a 7 eile εἶτα μέντοι ἐς TO τοῦ ποταμοῦ
υ “~~
Ἶ wp μεθιᾶσιν. ἔχονται δὲ ἄνθρωποι τοῦ ὅπλου
αὐ τριάκοντα, καὶ ἕκαστος ἀκόντιόν τε ἐνηγκύλη-
ται καὶ μάχαιραν 7) ἈΠ μεΣὶ
oe χαιραν παρήρτηται. καὶ παράκειται
λα εὐτρεπῆ, παίειν εἰ δέοι: κρανείας δέ ἐστι
ταῦ
τὰ τα, ἰσχυρὰ ἄγαν. εἶτα περισχεθέντα τῷ ἀγκί-
+
τρῳ καὶ TO δέλεαρ καταπιόντα τὸν σκώληκ
ἀνέλκουσι,5 θηραθέντα δὲ a j ae
ρον ih npallevra, δὲ ἀποκτείνουσι, καὶ πρὸς
τὴν εἰλην κρεβῶσι τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν. λείβεται
1 (τῷ add. H 2
ae f Schn: Bpvedar. -

\ the strength of their teeth that they can crush with
the greatest ease anything that they get between

ON ANIMALS, V. 3.

them, be it stone, be it animal, tame or wild. During
the daytime they live at the bottom of the river,
wallowing in the mud and slime ; for that reason they
are not to be seen. But at night they emerge on to
the land, and whatever they encounter, whether
horse or ox or ass, they crush and then drag down to
their haunts and eat it in the river, devouring every
member of the animal excepting its paunch. If

however they are assailed by hunger during the day

as well, and should a camel or an ox be drinking on
the bank, they slide furtively up and seizing firmly
upon its lips, haul it along with the utmost force and
drag it by sheer strength into the water, where they
feast upon it. Each one is covered with a hide two
fingers thick. The following means have been de-

vised for hunting and capturing them. Men let its capture

down a stout, strong hook attached to an iron chain,
and to this they fasten a rope of white flax weighing
a talent, and they wrap wool round both chain and
rope to prevent the worm biting through them. On
the hook they fix a lamb or a kid, and then let them
sink in the river. As many as thirty men hold on to
the rope and each of them has a javelin ready to hurl
and a sword at his side. Wooden clubs are placed
handy, should they need to deal blows, and these are
of cornel-wood and very hard. Then when the worm
is secured on the hook and has swallowed the bait,
the men haul, and having captured it and killed it,
hang it up in the sun for thirty days. From the body

oe le -.-.---- τ τ τ ππτπτπτπτ ἑ π ͵

ἃ πλατέος.

Ω 3 2. κα
κατ αὐτῶν.

6 ἐλ
ελκοῦσι.

δ Jac: καὶ τὸ ἄγκιστρον.
201

AELIAN

δὲ 3 3 ~ a x > 3 ΚΝ

den i eames ἀπε Δ ee
pinor ον ζᾷ ς δέκα. τοῦτο

δὴ τὸ ἔλαιον {τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ᾿Ινδῶν κομίζουσι

σημεῖα ἐπιβαλόντες "3 ἔχειν γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἄλλον

οὐδὲ ὅσον ῥανίδα ἐφεῖται. ἀχρεῖον δέ ἐστι τὸ

λοιπὸν τοῦ ζῴου σκῆνος. ἔχει δὲ ἄρα τὸ Dias,

> \ 3 / ev ba ;
ἰσχὺν ἐκείνην. ovtiva av ξύλων σωρὸν καταπρῆσαί

rE \ 3 > Ἁ

τε καὶ ἐς τ ἈΠ στορέσαι θελήσῃς, κοτύλην

ἐπ ν τὰ a “ \ , i 2
χέας τοῦδε ἐξάψεις, μὴ πρότερον ὑποχέας

Μ“ ὲ 3 \ ~
πυρὸς σπέρμα: εἰ δὲ καταπρῆσαι ἄνθρωπον ἢ

ᾧον, σὺ μὲν ἐπιχεῖς, τὸ δὲ παραχρῆμα ἐνεπρήσθ

τούτῳ τοί φασι τὸν τῶν ᾿Ϊνδῶν βασιλέα καὶ ris
πόλεις αἱρεῖν τὰς ἐς ἔχθραν προελθούσας οἱ, καὶ
μήτε κριοὺς μήτε χελώνας μήτε τὰς ἄλλας ens.
εἰς ἀναμένειν, ἐπεὶ καταπιμπρὰς ἥρηκεν: ἀγγεῖα

“-- Ὁ ᾿

γὰρ κεραμεᾶ ὅσον κοτύλην ἕκαστον χωροῦντα
ἐμ. ee καὶ ἀποφράξας ἄνωθεν. ἐς τὰς
πῦλας σφενδονᾷ. ὁ 3 τύ av>* θυρίδων.
τὰ μὲν ἀγγεῖα. leis IS is, abe

aes ττε ub ἀπερράγη, καὶ
τὸ ἔλαιον κατώλισθε, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν πῦρ κατεχύθ
καὶ ἄσβεστόν ἐστι. καὶ ὅπλα δὲ κάει καὶ pe
mous μαχομένους, καὶ ἄπλετόν ὃ ἐστι τὴν ἰσχύν
κοιμίζεται δὲ καὶ ἀφανίζεται πολλοῦ φορυτοῦ
καταχυθέντος.5 λέγει ὁ Κνίδιος Κτησίας ταῦτα

4. ἫἋΑ ᾽ v4 ir 4 “~ ~
Pears Rear “ὅμοιον δελφῖνι ζῷόν ἐστιν,
χει δὲ γᾷ a καὶ αὐτή. χρόαν δὲ οὐκ ἔστι μέλαινα,
κυανῷ ἢ Ἵ ΕΝ
ee ᾿ € τι τῷ βαθυτάτῳ, ἀναπνεῖ δὲ οὐ
ραγχίοις, ἀλλὰ φυσητῆρι: τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ καλοῦ-

; «(τῷ add. Η. 2 ἐπιβάλλοντες.
3 χε, 4 τῶν» add. H.
292 |

ON ANIMALS, V. 3-4

there drips a thick oil into earthenware vessels; and the oil from
each worm yields up to ten cotylae.. This oil they seal its body

and bring to the Indian King; no one else is permitted
to have somuch asadrop. The rest of the carcase is
of no use. Now the oil has this power: should you
wish to burn a pile of wood and to scatter the embers,
pour on a cotyle and you will set it alight without pre-
viously applying a spark. And if you want to burn a
mati or an animal, pour some oil over him and at once
heissetonfire. With this, they say, the Indian King
even takes cities that have risen against him; he
does not wait for battering-rams or penthouses or
any other siege-engines, for he burns them down and
captures them. He fills earthen vessels, each holding
one cotyle, with oil, seals them, and slings them from
above against the gates. When the vessels touch
the embrasures they are dashed into fragments;
the oil oozes down; fire pours over the doors, and
nothing can quench it. And it burns weapons and
fighting men, so tremendous is its force. It is how-
ever allayed and put out if piles of rubbish are

poured over it. |
Such is the account given by Ctesias of Cnidus.

4. The Porpoise is a creature like the dolphin, and
it too has milk. Its colour is not black but resembles
very deep blue. It breathes not through gills but
through a blow-hole, for that is the name they give

a] κοτύλη = about 4 pint.
Te gr ee Ἡ ΤῊΝ
Triller : ἄπληστον.

δ
8 πολλῷ φορυτῷ καταχυθέντι.
7

Schn: φάλαινα.

293

The
Porpoise

AELIAN

r ¢ a , \ cs 4 5 πὰ ᾿ς
ow οἱ τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν ὁδόν. διατριβὴ δὲ ὁ

Πόντος αὐτῇ καὶ ἡ ἐκεῖ θάλαττα: πλανᾶται δὲ

(τῶν) ἠθῶν ἐκείνων ἐξωτέρω ἡ φώκαινα 3
ἥκιστα.

se . ” e θ a 7 3 3 3 zi
5. Tov ἄρρενα ἡ θήλεια νικήσασα ὄρνις 8 ἐν τῇ

/ “A ᾿ &
μάχῃ, ἁβρύνεταί τε ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς καὶ καθίησι
κάλλαια, οὐκ ἐς τοσοῦτον μὲν ἐς ὅσον καὶ of

3 ὔ 7 ? “ \ >
ἀλεκτρυόνες, καθίησι δ᾽ οὖν, καὶ φρονήματος

ε ,ὔ ‘ ᾽ ’
ὑποπίμπλαται, καὶ βαίνει μακρότερα.

6. Φιλοίκειον 6 δελφὶς ζῷον πεπίστευται. καὶ
τὸ ὃ μαρτύριον, Alvds ἐστι πόλις Θρῇσσα. ἔτυχεν
οὖν ἁλῶναι δελφῖνα καὶ τρωθῆναι μέν, οὐ μὴν ἐς
θάνατον, ἀλλ’ (ὡς) ἔτι βιώσιμα εἶναι τῷ
ἑαλωκότι. οὐκοῦν ἐρρύη. μὲν αἷμα, ἤσθοντο δὲ
οἱ ἀθήρατοι, καὶ ἀφίκοντο ἐς τὸν λιμένα ἀγέλη,
καὶ κατεσκίρτων, καὶ {δῆλοι ἦσάν τι δρασείον-
τες οὐκ ἀγαθόν. of τοίνυν Αἴνιοι ἔδεισαν καὶ
ἀφῆκαν τὸν ἑαλωκότα. καὶ ἐκεῖνοι κομισάμενοι
ws ἕνα τῶν κηδεστῶν ὃ ᾧχοντο ἀπιόντες. σπα-
νίως 19 δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἢ οἰκείῳ δυστυχήσαντι ἢ
οἰκείᾳ κοινωνὸς σπουδῆς καὶ φροντίδος.

9 >

1. Ἔν Αἰγύπτῳ πίθηκος, ὥς φησιν Ἐὔδημος,
ἐδιώκετο, αἴλουροι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ διώκοντες. ἀνὰ

7 > 3 ’ [4 32" ,
κράτος οὖν ἀποδιδράσκων ὥρμησεν εὐθὺ δένδρου
τινός, οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀνέθορον 11 dora: ἔχονται
1 τῶν» add. Η. * Schn: φάλαινα.
3 Κα 4 καἀλλ
ὄρνιν. κάλλη.

5 τούτου τό. 8. (ὡς) add. Η. |
1 <dfAow> add. Cobet.

204

ON ANIMALS, V. 4-7

to its air-passage. The Porpoise frequents Pontus
and the sea round about, and rarely strays beyond its
familiar haunts. '

5. When a Hen has defeated a cock-bird in battle The ons
it gives itself airs from sheer delight and lets down gen
wattles, not however to the same extent as cocks,
although it does so and is filled with pride and struts

more grandly.

6. The Dolphin is believed to love its own kin, and Ὁ ϑαρμαιεά
here is the evidence. Aenus is a city in Thrace. “™
Now it happened that a Dolphin was captured and.
wounded, not indeed fatally, but the captive was still
‘able to live. So when its blood flowed the dolphins
which had not been caught saw this and came throng-
ing into the harbour and leaping about and were
plainly bent on some mischief. At this the people of
‘Aenus took fright and let their captive go, and the
dolphins, escorting as it might be some kinsman,
departed. |

But a human being will hardly attend or give a
thought to a relative, be it man or woman, In mis-

fortune.

7. In Egypt, says Eudemus, ἃ Monkey was being Monkey:
ursued and Cats were the pursuers. So the Monkey 7
fled as fast as he could and made straight for a tree.
But the Cats also ran up very swiftly, for they cling to
τ οΠῤΠῤττς- τ -.... π0.0...ς...ὕ..ςὲ
8 ἀγαθόν: ἐν ἔθει δὲ ἦν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, καὶ αὐτοὺς νήχεσθαι καὶ
παῖδας αὐτῶν.

J “- hal f =
9 us... κηδεοτῶν] ὡς ἑταίρων ἕνα τῶν K. ἢ γένει TPOTH
κόντων. ,
10 σπάνιον. 11 συνέθορον. ΝΕ
205

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, V. 7-9
the bark and can also climb trees. But as he was
oing to be caught, being one against many, he leapt
from the trunk and with his paws seized the end of an
overhanging branch high up and clung to it for a long
while. And since the Cats could no longer get at
him, they descended to go after other prey. So the
Monkey was saved by his own considerable exertions,
and it was to himself, as was proper, that he owed the
reward for his rescue.

yap τῶν φλοιῶν, καὶ ἔστι καὶ τούτοις ἐς δένδρα
ἐπιβατά.:} 6 δὲ ws ἡλίσκετο εἷς ὦν, καὶ ταῦτα
ὑπὸ πολλῶν, ἐκπηδᾷ τοῦ πρέμνου, καὶ κλάδου
τινὸς ἐπηρτημένου 5 καὶ μετεώρου λαμβάνεται
ἄκρου ταῖς χερσί, καὶ ἐγκρατῶς εἴχετο οὐκ ἐπ’
ὀλίγον: οἱ δὲ αἴλουροι, ὡς οὐκ ἣν ἐφιικκτὰ αὐτοῖς
ἔτι, ἐπ᾿ ἄλλην θήραν κατέδραμον. 6 δὲ κατὰ
πολλὴν τὴν σπουδὴν διεσώζετο, ἑαυτῷ ὀφείλων
ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς ξωάγρια. ᾿

PES EERE TESTOSTERONE PESTS TCU DT BEST TEENS ON OSE RETR

8. Aristotle says? that the soil of Astypalaea ὃ is Places
unfriendly to snakes; just as, according to the same acer
writer, Rhenea is to martens. No crow can go up mals
on to the Acropolis at Athens. Say that Elis is the

mother of mules,® and you say what is false.

8. ᾿Αριστοτέλης ὄφεσιν ἔχθρὰν εἶναι τὴν ᾿Αστυ-
παλαιέων γῆν λέγει, καθάπερ καὶ τὴν Ῥήνειαν
ταῖς γαλαῖς ὁ αὐτὸς ὁμολογεῖ ἡμῖν. κορώνῃ δὲ
ἐς τὴν ᾿Αθηναίων ἀκρόπολιν οὐκ <éo7w)? ἐπι-
Bara.* ἡμιόνων δὲ Ἦλιν μητέρα οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἢ τὸ
λεχθὲν ψεῦδός ἐστιν.

9. There is an agreement between the people of The Cicadas
of Locris

Rhegium and of Locris@ that they shall have access and

9. “Ῥηγίνοις καὶ Λοκροῖς és τὴν γῆν τὴν
ἀλλήλων παριέναι καὶ γεωργεῖν ἔνσπονδόν ἐστιν.
οὐ μὴν ὁμολογοῦσι τούτοις οὐδὲ ἐς μίαν νοοῦσι
καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οἱ τέττιγες οἱ τῶνδε καὶ τῶνδε,
ἐπεὶ τὸν μὲν Λοκρὸν ἐν “Ῥηγίῳ σιγηλότατον
ἕξεις, τὸν δὲ “Ῥηγῖνον ἐν τοῖς Λοκροῖς ἀφωνότατον.
καὶ τίς ἡ αἰτία τῆς τοιαύτης ἀντιδόσεως ὅ ἐγὼ
μὲν οὐκ οἷδα οὐδὲ ἄλλος, εἰ μὴ μάτην θρασύνοιτο"
οἶδε δέ, ὦ “Ῥηγῖνοι καὶ Λοκροί, μόνη ἡ φύσις.

: \ ae ~
ποταμὸς γοῦν τῆς τε Ῥηγίνων καὶ τῆς Λοκρίδος

1 3 f
ἐπιβατόν. 2 ὑπηρτημένου
8 “5 Ι
: (ἔστιν) add. Η. τ ἢ 4 ἐπιβατόν.
AA
τοιαύτης ἀμοιβηδὸν εἰς τὴν σιωπὴν ἀντιδόσεως.

206

to, and shall cultivate, one another’s lands. But the Bhegn

Cicadas of the two territories do not agree to this and
are not of one and the same mind, for you will find
the Locrian Cicada is completely silent in Rhegium,
and the Cicada from Rhegium is absolutely voiceless
among the Locrians. What the cause of such an ex-
change may be neither I nor anyone else, save an
idle boaster, can say. Only to Nature, you men of
Rhegium and of Locris, is it known. At any rate
there is a river 6 separating the territories of Rhegium

ἃ The passage is not in his extant works; fr.315 (Rose Arist.
pseudepigraphus, Ὁ. 881), -
> Astypalaea and Rhenea are islands of the Cyclades.

¢ Op. Hdt. 4. 30.
ἃ The two towns lay some 35 mi. apart in the ‘toe’ of Italy.
6 The Caecinus ace. to Paus. 6, 6. 4, the Halex acc. to Strabo

6. 260 and others,
297

AELIAN

δι. ἃ , \ ot ᾿
τὰς pers, oe εἴργονταί ye οὐδὲ πλεθριαίῳ
ov g
oes αἱ ὄχθαι, καὶ ὅμως οὐδέτεροι ὃ
ιαπέτονται αὐτόν. καὶ ἐ ᾳ ὃ
ἘΠ τὸ ὄν. καὶ ἐν Κεφαλληνίᾳ ποταμός
τιν, ὅσπερ οὖν τῆς τε εὐγονίας τῶν τεττίγων
καὶ τῆς ἁγονίας aiTLOS. ν᾽

A 7 ? ~ ,
10. Τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν at μέλιτται πρᾶον ὄντα
καὶ ἥμερον καὶ ὁμοῦ τι καὶ ἄκεντρον ὅταν αὐτὰς
/
ἀπολίπῃ μεταθέουσί τε καὶ διώκουσι φυγάδα τῆς
3

> ~ 3; ξ
ἀρχῆς ὄντα. ῦ = αὐτὸ 4 |
ρχῆς ῥινηλατοῦσι δὲ αὐτὸν ἀπορρήτως,

\ -

καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν αἱροῦσι, καὶ ἐς
τὴν βασιλείαν ἐπανάγουσιν ἑκοῦσαί τε καὶ βουλό-
μεναι καὶ τοῦ τρόπου ἀγάμεναι. Πεισίστρατον
δὲ ἐξήλασαν ᾿Αθηναῖοι καὶ Συρακόσιοι ἃ Διονύ-
σιον καὶ ἄλλοι ἄλλους, τυράννους τε καὶ παρανό-
μους ὄντας καὶ τέχνην βασιλικὴν ἀποδείξασθαι
μὴ δυναμένους, ἥπερ οὖν φιλανθρωπία -τε καὶ τῶν
ὑπηκόων ἐστὶ προστασία.

.
11. Μέλει τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν μελυττῶν κεκοσμῆ-
σθαι τὸ σμῆνος τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. τὰς μὲν
προστάττει ὑδροφορεῖν, τὰς δὲ ἔνδον κηρία δια-
πλάττειν, τὴν γε μὴν τρίτην μοῖραν ἐπὶ τὴν
νομὴν προϊέναι- εἶτα μέντοι ἀμείβουσι τὰ ἔργα
ἐκ περιόδου κάλλιστά πως ὃ ἀποκριθείσης.Θ αὐτὸς
δὲ ὁ βασιλεύς, “ἀπόχρη οἱ τούτων πεφροντικέναι
καὶ νομοθετεῖν ὅσα προεῖπον κατὰ τοὺς μεγάλους

ἄρχοντας, ots ot φιλόσοφοι φιλοῦσιν ὀνομά
μάζειν

1 διαστήματι μέσῳ 2 οὐθέτ
, De οὐθέτεροι.
3 Κεφαληνίᾳ. ; ὴ

* Συρακού- MSs always,

€ πως.

"ὃ

ON ANIMALS, V. 9-1:

and Locris, and the banks are not so much as a hun-
dred feet apart; for all that the Cicadas of neither
side fly across it. And in Cephallenia there is a river
which occasions both fertility and barrenness among

Cicadas.

10. Bees when forsaken by their King, who is at Bees ae
P ° ὃ ᾿ their King

once gentle and inoffensive and also stingless, give |
chase and pursue after the deserter from the post of

rule. They track him down in some mysterious way

and detect him by means of the smell he diffuses and

bring him back to his kingdom of their own free will,
indeed eagerly, for they admire his disposition. But

the Athenians drove out Pisistratus,* and the Syra-
cusans Dionysius,’ and other states their rulers, since

they were tyrants and broke the laws and could not
exhibit the art of kingship which consists in loving

one’s fellow-men and protecting one’s subjects.

11. It is the concern of the King Bee that his hive The King
should be regulated in the following manner. To ooo
some bees he assigns the bringing of water, to others
the fashioning of honeycombs within the hive, while
a third lot must go abroad to gather food. But after

a time they exchange duties in a precisely deter- .

-mined rotation. As to the King himself, it is enough

for him to take thought and to legislate for the mat-
ters that I mentioned above after the manner of great
rulers to whom philosophers like to ascribe simul-

4 Tyrant of Athens 560 8.c., twice expelled but regained
power and held it till his death, 527 B.c.
> See below, ch. 15 n.
Sere ee sary ee ee . .----’--------- --
6 Gow: ἀποκριθεῖσαι (so H) φιλοῦσιν οἰκουρεῖν ai πρεσβύταται
MSS, φιλοῦσιν. . . πρεσβύταται del. H.
299

AELIAN

4 \
πολιτικούς τε καὶ βασιλικοὺς τοὺς αὐτούς" τὰ δὲ᾽

ἄλλα ἡσυχάζει καὶ τοῦ αὐτουργεῖν ἀφεῖται. ἐὰν δὲ
ῆ λῷον ταῖς μελίτταις μεταστῆναι, τηνικαῦτα καὶ
ὁ ἀρχων ἀπαλλάττεται. καὶ ἐὰν μὲν ἔτι νέος ἢ
ἡγεῖται, αἱ δὲ λουπαὶ ἕπονται" ἐὰν δὲ πρεσβύτε.
ρος, φοράδην ἔρχεται, κομιζουσῶν αὐτὸν μελιττῶν
ἄλλων. αἱ μέλιτται δὲ ὑπὸ συνθήματι ἐς ὕπνον
τρεποντᾶνι ὅταν δὲ δοκῇ καιρὸς εἶναι καθεύδειν
6 βασιλεὺς μιᾷ προστάττει ὑποσημῆναι κατα-
δαρθάνειν. καὶ ἡ μὲν πεισθεῖσα τοῦτο ἐκήρυξεν
αἱ δὲ ἐς κοῦτον τρέπονται ἐντεῦθεν, τέως βομβοῦ-
σαι. ἕως (μὲν) 8 οὖν περίεστιν 6 βασιλεύς͵,
εὐθενεῖται * τὸ σμῆνος, καὶ ἀταξία πᾶσα ἠφανίσθη,
καὶ οἱ μὲν κηφῆνες ἀγαπητῶς ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν
κυττάροις ἡσυχάζουσιν, αἱ δὲ 5. πρεσβύτεραι διαι-
τῶνται ἰδίᾳ, καὶ αἱ νέαι ἰδίᾳ, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ὃ
“βασιλεύς, καὶ αἱ σχαδόνες ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν εἰσι, καὶ ἡ
τροφὴ καὶ αἱ ἄφοδοι χωρίς" ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς
ἀπόληται, ἀταξίας τε καὶ ἀναρχίας μεστὰ πάντα:
οἱ τε γὰρ κηφῆνες τοῖς τῶν μελιττῶν κυττάροις
ἐντίκτουσι, τά τε λοιπὰ ἐν ἀλλήλοις φυρόμενα
εὐθενεῖσθαι τῷ σμήνει τὸ λοιπὸν οὐκ ἐπυτρέπει:'
διαφθείρονται δὲ τελευτῶσαι ἐρημίᾳ ἄρχοντος.
βίον δὲ καθαρὸν ζῇ μέλιττα, καὶ ξῴου οὐκ ἂν
οὐδενὸς πάσαϊτό ποτε: καὶ οὐ δεῖται Πυθαγόρου
συμβούλου οὐδὲ ἕν, ἀπόχρη δὲ ἄρα σῖτον “as ἢ
i \ wf A \ “Τῇ
εἶναι τὰ ἄνθη. ἔστι δὲ καὶ σωφροσύνην ἀκροτάτη.
χλιδὴν γοῦν καὶ θρύψιν μεμίσηκε. καὶ τὸ μαρτύ-
ριον, τὸν χρισάμενον μύρῳ διώκει τε καὶ ἐλαύνει
ὡς πολέμιον ἀνήκεστα δράσαντα. οἶδε δὲ καὶ τὸν

ξ é

1 ἄγονται 26
VT aL. ἕν.
8 <uév> add. H. ἃ
300

ON ANIMALS, V. 11

taneously the qualities of a citizen and of a king.
For the rest he lives at ease and abstains from
physical labour. If however it is expedient for the
bees to change their dwelling, then the ruler departs,
and if he happens to be still young, he leads the way
and the rest follow; if however he is elderly, he is
carried on his way and conveyed by other bees.

At a signal bees retire to slumber. When it seems’
to-be time to go to sleep the King commands one bee
to give the signal for going to rest. And the bee
obeys and gives the word, whereupon the bees that
have been buzzing till then retire to bed. Now so
long as the King survives, the swarm flourishes and
all disorder is suppressed. The drones gladly remain
at rest in their cells, the older bees dwell in their
quarters apart, the young in theirs, the King by
himself, and the larvae in their own place. Their
food and their excrement are in separate places.
But when the King dies, disorder and anarchy fill the
place; the drones produce offspring in the cells of the
bees; the general confusion no longer permits the
swarm to thrive, and finally the bees perish for want
of a ruler. | |

The Bee leads a blameless life and would never
touch animal food. It has no need of Pythagoras for
counsellor, but flowers afford it food enough. Itis in
the highest degree temperate; at any rate it abhors
luxury and delicate living; witness the fact that it

ursues and drives away a man who has perfumed
himself, as if he were some enemy who has perpe-
trated actions past all remedy. It recognises too a

4 εἰρήνῃ εὐθην-.

301

ατρασεεατ σι: ΞΞΞΞ ΞΔ CEE CET

AELIAN

ἐλθόντα 1 ἐξ ἀκολάστου optrias,® καὶ διώκει καὶ
ἐκεῖνον οἷα δήπου ἔχθιστον. καὶ ἀνδρείας δὲ εὖ
ἥκουσι καὶ ἄτρεπτοί εἶσιν. οὐδὲ ἕν γοῦν ζῷον
ἀποδιδράσκουσιν, οὐδὲ μὴν κάκῃ εἴκουσι, χωροῦσι
δὲ ὁμόσε. καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς μὴ ἐνοχλοῦντας
μηδὲ ἄρχοντας ἀδίκων μηδὲ τῷ σμήνει προσιόντας
κακούργως καὶ σὺν ἐπιβουλῇ εἰρηναῖα αὐταῖς καὶ
ἔνοπονδά ἐστι, πόλεμος δὲ ἀκήρυκτος τὸ ἀδόμενον
τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοὺς λυποῦντας ἐξάπτεται, καὶ ὅστις
ἥκει κεραΐσων τὸ μέλι αὐταῖς, ἐς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς
ἠρίθμηται οὗτος. παίουσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς σφῆκας
κακῶς. λέγει δὲ ᾿Αριστοτέλης ὅτι καὶ ἱππεῖ 3
ποτε ἐντυχοῦσαι πρὸς τῷ σμήνει ἀπέκτειναν αὐτὸν
ἐπιθέμεναι κατὰ τὸ καρτερὸν αἱ μέλιτται αὐτῷ
ἵππῳ. ἤδη μέντοι καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλας διαφέρονται,
καὶ ai δυνατώτεραι κρατοῦσι τῶν ἡττόνων. κρα-
τοῦσι δὲ ὡς ἀκούω αὐτῶν οἵ τε φρῦνοι καὶ οἱ ἐκ
τῶν τελμάτων βάτραχοι οἵ τε μέροπες καὶ αἱ
χελιδόνες, πολλάκις γε μὴν καὶ οἱ σφῆκες. ὅστις
δὲ τούτων ἐκράτησε, Kaduetav ὥς γε εἰπεῖν τὴν
νίκην ἐνίκησε: παιόμενοι γὰρ καὶ κεντούμενοι
κακῶς ἀπαλλάττουσιν. εἰσὶ γὰρ οὐ μεῖον τῷ
θυμῷ ἢ τοῖς κέντροις ὡπλισμέναι. οὐκ ἀμοιροῦσι
δὲ οὐδὲ τῆς ἐς τὸ προμηθὲς σοφίας, καὶ ᾽Αριστο-
τέλης τεκμηριοῦ ὃ λέγω. ἔστι δὲ τοιοῦτον.
ἐλθοῦσαι μέλυτται 4 ἐπί τι σμῆνος οὐκ οἰκεῖον
1 προσελθόντα.

2 2 A Η 4 6 ’ ~ f
ἀκολασίας TE Kal ὁμιλίας τῆς πρός τινα.
3 Reiske : ἵ 4 αἱ
ewske : ἵππῳ. at μ.

* The ‘ horseman ’ is an addition of Aelian’s.
> Two explanations are given: (i) Cadmus slew a dragon
set by Ares to guard a well, From its teeth sprang armed

302

ON ANIMALS, V. x1

man who comes from an unchaste.bed, and him also

it pursues, as though he were its bitterest foe. And its courage

Bees are well-endowed with courage and are un-
daunted. For instance, there is not a single animal

from which they flee; they are not mastered by

cowardice but go to the attack. Towards those who
do not trouble them or start to injure them or who
do not approach the hive bent on mischief and with
evil intent they show themselves peaceful and
friendly ; but against those who would injure them
the fires of a truceless war, as the phrase goes, are
kindled; and anyone who comes to plunder their

honey is reckoned among their enemies. And they

sting even wasps severely. And Aristotle records its sting

[HA 626 a 21] how Bees once finding a horseman 4
near the hive attacked him violently and slew both
him and his horse. And further, they fight with one
another, and the stronger party defeats the weaker.

But I learn that toads and frogs from pools, bee- its enemies

eaters, and swallows defeat them, and frequently
wasps do so too. Yet the victor achieves what you
might call a Cadmean victory,” for he comes off badly
from their blows and stings, since the Bees are armed
with courage no less than with stings. But Bees are
not without a share of the wisdom of foresight, and
Aristotle vouches for my statement [HA 626 b 12]
thus. Some Bees came to a hive that was not theirs
but a different one and proceeded to plunder the

men who would have fallen upon C. had he not prevailed upon
them to kill one another. (ii) Eteocles the defender, and
Polynices the assailant of Thebes, the city founded by Cadmus,
slew each other in battle. The Thebans were victorious but
were later driven out by the descendants of the. *‘ Septem

contra Thebas.’

393

AELIAN

ἀλλὰ é ὲ ; ;
ἐτερον, εἶτα τὸ μηδέν odict προσῆκον

> tA / ξ \
ἐκεράιζον μέλι. αἱ δὲ καίτοι συλώμεναι τὸν σφέ-
3
τερον πόνον, ὅμως ἐνεκαρτέρουν ἡσυχῆ ἀτρεμοῦ-
σαι, εἶτα μέντοι τὸ μέλλον ἐγκρατῶς ἐ es
ae i gk Mov ἐγκρατῶς ἐκαραδόκουν.
ἐπεὶ o μελιττουργὸς τὰς πολλὰς τῶν ἐχθρῶν
"ταν at ἔνδον καταγνοῦσαι ὅτι ἄρα δύνανται
> \ Ja
a ee εἶναι πρὸς τὴν μάχην τὴν ἰσοπαλῆ
προελθοῦσαι κἀτ᾽ ἠμύναντο, καὶ δίκας ἀπήτησαν
ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐσυλήθησαν οὐδαμῶς μεμπτάς. ὁ

12, Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ φιλεργίας 1 τῆς τῶν 5. μελιτ-

. τῶν μαρτύριονϑ ἐ 5 t Ἵ 0
μαρτύρ ἐν γοῦν τοῖς χειμεριωτάτοις τῶν

, Ἁ /
χωρίων μετὰ [ἰλειάδων δυσμὰς ἐς ἰσημερίαν
ἡρινὴν διατελοῦσιν οἰκουροῦσαί τε καὶ ἔνδον
“~ 5Ὰ 3
ἀτρεμοῦσαι ἀλέας πόθῳ καὶ φυγῇ ῥίγους αἱ
μέλιτται: τὸν δὲ ἄλλον χρό Ἢ eee ϑι
janes ζὸν ὃὲ ἄλλον χρόνον τοῦ ἔτους πάντα
ἀργί ν τε“ καὶ ἡσυχίαν μισοῦσι, καὶ καμεῖν εἰσιν
"ἢ αἱ. καὶ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἴδοις βλακεύουσαν
᾽ : a
μέλιτταν τῆς wpas ἐκείνης ἔξω ἐν ἧ μαλκίει 5 τὰ

μέλη.

; 13. Γ εωμετρίαν. δὲ καὶ κάλλη σχημάτων καὶ
ὡραίας πλάσεις αὐτῶν ἄνευ τέχνης τε καὶ κανόνων
καὶ τοῦ καλουμένου ὑπὸ τῶν σοφῶν διαβήτου 5
ἀποδείκνυνται at μέλιτται. ὅταν δὲ ἀκα ἣ
καὶ «εὐθενῇ ταῖς μελίτταις τὸ σμῆνος, Sen Cue
ow” ὥσπερ οὖν αἱ μέγισταί τε καὶ πολυανδρού-
μεναι τῶν πόλεων. οἷδε δὲ ἄρα ἡ Ὁ aaa

: τῆς φιλεργίας.
J aC: τῆς μ. L, τῶν μ. other Mss.
τὸ μαρτύριον.
μέν.

304

ON ANIMALS, V. 11-13

honey which did not belong to them... But the Bees
which were being despoiled of their labours never-
theless remained quiet and waited patiently to
see what would happen. Then, when the bee-
had killed the greater number of the
enemy, the Bees in the hive realised that they
were in fact sufficient to sustain an equal combat
and emerged to strike back, and the penalty which
they exacted for the robbery left nothing to cavilat. —-

The Bee, its

12. Here is further evidence of the industry 0b
Bees. In the coldest countries from the time when 7“
the Pleiads have set@ until the vernal equinox they
continue at home and stay quiet in the hive, longing
for the warmth and shunning the cold. But for the
rest of the year they abhor indolence and repose and
are good at hard labour. And you would never see a
Bee idling unless it were during the season when their
limbs are numb with cold.

13. Bees practise geometry and produce their The Bee,
graceful figures and beautiful conformations without τοὺ

any theory or rules of

eall a ‘ compass.’
and the swarm thrives they send out colonies just as its colonies

the largest and most populous cities do. Now the
Bee knows when there is rain that threatens to per- τὸ wie
sist, and when there will be a gale. But if surprised °°

art, without what the learned
And when their numbers increase

as weather-

@ About the beginning of November.

a
5 Schn: μαλακιεῖ.
6 , Α ) 7 ep i + tf?
διαβήτου τὸ κάλλιστον σχημάτων ἐξάγωνόν τε καὶ ἐξάπλευρον

καὶ ἰσογώνιον.
7 καὶ εἰς ἀποικίαν ἐκπέμπουσιν.

395

AELIAN

δ ~ 3 ~ >
ὑετοῦ ἀπειλοῦντος ἐπιδημίαν καὶ σκληρὸν πνεῦ
ἐσόμενον. εἰ δὲ αὐτῇ 1 dd 3 ee
ἐσόμενον. εἰ ὑτῇ παρὰ ὄξαν γένοιτο τὸ τοῦ
; '
πνεύματος, ὄψει φέρουσαν λίθον ἑκάστην ἄκροις
> f
τοῖς ποσὶν ἕρμα εἶναι. ὅπερ δὲ ὁ θεῖος Πλάτων
περὶ τῶν τεττίγων λέγει καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων φιλῳδίας.
“΄,3 Υ
τε καὶ φιλομουσίας, τοῦτ᾽ ἂν καὶ περὶ τοῦ τῶ
μελιττῶν χοροῦ εἴ δ ῦ ΤΣ
os χοροῦ εἴποι τις. ὅταν γοῦν σκιρτήσω-
lan ς ᾿
σιν ἢ π ανηθῶσιν, ἐνταῦθα οἱ σμηνουργοὶ κροτοῦσι
Κρότον τινὰ ἐμμελῇ τε Kat συμμελῆ: αἱ δὲ ὡς

ς \ ~ Ω
ὑπὸ Σιειρῆνος ἕλκονται, καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὑποστρέ-.

φ 3 θ 4 ? “ >
ovow ἐς ἤθη τὰ οἰκεῖα αὖθις.

: 3 nn 7 o~ |
ra Ἐν τῇ Τυάρῳ ὃ" τῇ νήσῳ ᾿Αριστοτέλης
evel μῦς εἶναι καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὴν γῆν σιτεῖσθαι
“A 4
τὴν σιδηρῖτιν. Ἀμύντας δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐν Τερηδόνι
(γῆς ὃ δέ ἐστιν αὕτη τῆς Βαβυλωνί ὴν αὐ
; αὕτη τῆς Βαβυλωνίας) τὴν αὐτὴν
προσφέρεσθαι λέγει.
7 \ os f
. Ev Λάτμῳ δὲ τῆς Καρίας ἀκούω σκορπίου
εἶναι, οἵπερ οὖν τοὺς μὲ f f lose
May: ρ οὖν τοὺς μὲν πολίτας σφίσι παίουσιν
ἐς θάνατον, τοὺς δὲ ξένους ἡσυχῆ καὶ ὅσον παρα
σχεῖν ὀδαξησμόν, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν * τοῦ Ξενίου Διὸς
\ “ -"
τοῖς ἀφικνουμένοις τὸ δῶρον τοῦτο ἀποκρίναντος

, \ :
16, Βασιλεύονται δὲ ἄρα καὶ σφῆκες, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ
τυραννοῦνται ὡς ἀνθ ὶ τὸ μ
r , ws ἄνθρωποι. καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον,
ἄκεντροι καὶ οἷδε εἰσί, καὶ οἱ μὲν ὑπήκοοι τὰ
Ν we , ” 7
5 Mag iota αὑτοῖς νόμον ἔχουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἄρχοντές
\ \ ,
εἰσι ὑπλάσιοι μὲν τὸ μέγεθος, πρᾶοι δὲ καὶ οἷοι
μήτε ἑκόντες λυπεῖν ἔχειν μήτε ἄκοντες. τίς οὖν
5 -
οὐκ ἂν μισήσειε ὃ Διονυσίους τοὺς ἐν Σικελίᾳ καὶ
t

>
1 εἶναι καὶ μὴ ἀνατρέπεσθαι.
2 Holstein: Τά

otstein : Tape.

306

ON ANIMALS, V. 1315

by a wind, you will see every Bee carrying a pebble

: petween the tips of its feet by way of ballast. What

the divine Plato says [Phaedr. 230 c, 259 8] of cicadas

‘and their love of song and music one might equally its love of

say of the choir of Bees. For instance, when they °°”8

frolic and roam abroad, then the bee-keepers make a
clashing sound, melodious and rhythmical, and the.
Bees are attracted as by a Siren and come back again

to their own haunts.

Gyarus and

832 a 22] that there are Rats and that they actually poredon
eat iron ore. And Amyntas says that the Rats of
Teredon (this is in Babylonia) adopt the same food.’

(ii). I am told that on Latmus in Caria there are scorpions

14 (i). In the island of Gyarus α Aristotle says [Mir. Rats in

Scorpions which inflict a fatal sting on. their fellow- oe

countrymen; strangers however they sting lightly
and just enough to produce an itching sensation.
This in my opinion is a boon bestowed upon visitors
by Zeus, Protector of the Stranger. |

15. Wasps also are subject to a King, but not, as The
men are, to a despot. Witness the fact that their ἘΠΕ ESP
Kings also are stingless. And their subjects have a
law that they shall construct their combs for them.

But although the rulers are twice the size of a subject,
yet they are gentle and of a nature incapable
of doing an injury either willingly or unwillingly.
Who then would not detest the Dionysii of

2 One of the Cyclades, some 40 mi. SEE of Attica.
5 Op. 17. 17. |
ee
3 Holstein: γῆ. 4 Schn: δοκεῖ.

5 μισήσῃ ΟΥ̓ -at.
501

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, V. 15-27

Sicily,* Clearchus of Heraclea, Apollodorus the
oppressor of Cassandrea, Nabis the scourge of Sparta,
if they trusted in the sword, when the King Wasps
trust to their lack of sting and to their gentle nature?

7 4 > [1

Κλέαρχον τὸν ἐν Ἡρακλείᾳ καὶ ᾿Απολλόδωρον

i Κασανδρέων λευστῆρα καὶ τὸν Λακεδαιμονίων

ὑμεῶνα τὸν Νάβιν, εἴγε of μὲν ἐθάρρουν τῷ
A > ἢ a 3

ie τ δὲ ἀκέντρῳ καὶ τῇ πραότητι οἱ τῶν

σφηκῶν βασιλεῖς ;

16. This is what Wasps that are armed with a sting The Wasp

are saidto do. When they observe a dead viper they Sofon

᾽ὔ 4 ¢ ~ “~ Ἷ
16. Λέγονται δὲ of τῶν σφηκῶν κεκεντρωμένοι

1 3 “~ “ ‘
καὶ ἐκεῖνο δρᾶν. ὅταν θεάσωνται νεκρὰν ἔχιδναν,
3

οἱ δὲ 3 id 4 / \

᾿ ἐμπίπτουσι καὶ φαρμάττουσι τὸ κέντρον.
ὅθεν μοι δοκοῦσι μαθεῖν καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι μάθημα
καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀγαθό L μέ ἱ “με
coe οὐκ ayalov. καὶ μέντοι Kal μαρτυρεῖ
ἐν ᾿Οδυσσείᾳ “Ὅμηρος λέγων

φάρμακον ἀνδροφόνον διζήμενος, ὄφρα οἱ εἴη
ἰοὺς χρίεσθαι χαλκήρεας,

“᾿ A sy / ” “a o
ἢ καὶ νὴ Δία εἴ τι δεῖ τῷ περὶ “Hpaxddovs λόγῳ
προσέχειν, (ὡς δ ἐκεῖνος ἔ Ὁ τῆς “ "4
οσέχειν, Cas >> ἐκεῖνος ἔβαψε τῷ τῆς “YSpas id
τοὺς ὀιστούς, οὕτω τοι καὶ ἐκεῖνοι τῇ βαφῇ τὰ
ὶ ; ἑ
κέντρα ὑποθήγουσιν.3 '

17. "Kor 4 3 \ ~ ’ὔ 3 ¢ ~
17. Ἔστω δὲ Kat τῇ μυίᾳ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν γέρας
μὴ ἀμοιρῆσαι * τῆς μνή ἧς ἐνταῦ j
ρῆσαι “ τῆς μνήμης τῆς ἐνταῦθα: φύσεως
γάρ τοι καὶ ἐκείνη πλάσμα ἐστίν. αἱ μυῖαι αἱ
\ \ ~
Πισάτιδες͵ κατὰ τὴν τῶν ᾿Ολυμπίων ἑορτὴν ὡς
ἂν εἴποις σπένδονται καὶ τοῖς ἀφικνουμένοις καὶ
1 <ws> add. Jac.
3 δέ τι.
4 γέρας καὶ εἰκότως εἰ μὴ ἀμοιρήσει.

>- fa
2 ἐπιθήγουσιν.

* Dionysius the elder, c. 430-367 B.c., elec
9 Ue C.; ted
ruler of Syracuse, extended his power over Sicily ier
Magna Graecia; represented as a tyrant of the worst kind.—
Dionysius the younger succeeded his father, 367 5.0. Ejected

308

swoop upon it and draw poison into their sting. It is
from this source, I fancy, that men have acquired
that knowledge, and no good knowledge either.
And Homer is witness to the fact when he says in

the Odyssey [1. 261] |
‘Seeking a deadly drug, that he might have

wherewithal to smear his bronze-tipped arrows.’

Or again, to be sure (if one can trust the story), just
as Heracles dipped his arrows in the venom of the
Hydra, so do Wasps dip and sharpen their sting.

17. Let not the Fly lack the honour of a mention The Fly

im this record of mine, for it too is Nature’s handi-

work.
The Flies of Pisa at the season of the Olympic

festival make peace, so to speak, both with visitors

from Sicily, he made himself Tyrant of Locris—and deserved
the title. Recovered Syracuse by treachery but was again
expelled in 345 B.c., by Timoleon.—Clearchus by cham-
pioning the cause of the people against the nobles of Heraclea
obtained the tyranny. After a reign of 12 years marked by
signal cruelty he was murdered, 353 8.c.—Apollodorus, tyrant
of Cassandrea, 3rd cent. B.c., became a byword for cruelty ;
conquered and executed by Antigonus Gonatas .—Nabis usurped
the kingship of Sparta, which he exercised with the utmost
savagery; defeated by Philopoemen and Flamininus in his
efforts to regain lost territory; finally murdered, 192 8.0.

309

AELIAN

“ > é ¢ 7 “
τοῖς ἐπιχωρίοις. ἱερείων γοῦν καταθυομένων τοο-.
οὕτων καὶ aipatos ἐκχεομένου καὶ κρεμαμένων

- ς A ? ᾽, ”~
κρεῶν αἱ δὲ ἀφανίζονται ἑκοῦσαι, καὶ τοῦ γε
“- ~ ? 4
AX φειοῦ περαιοῦνται ἐς τὴν ἀντιπέρας ὄχθην
καὶ ἐοίκασι τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν ἐπιχωρίων διαλ-
λάττειν οὐδὲ ὁλί i μὴ ἃ 2yKpare
ἄττειν οὐδὲ ὀλίγον, εἰ μὴ ἄρα τι ἐγκρατέστεραι
αἱ μυῖαι ἐκεῖναι τῶν γυναικῶν ὁμολογοῦνται τοῖς
ὲ ¢ “a 3
ἔργοις" τὰς μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀγωνίας καὶ τῆς κατ᾽
αὐτὴν σωφροσύνης νόμος ἐλαύνει τὰς γυναῖκας 1
~ o ξ “”
αἱ μυῖαι δὲ ἐκοῦσαι τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀφίστανται, καὶ ἐν
μὲν ταῖς ἱερουργίαις ὶ ὶ τὸν τῶν &
“μὲν _ ἱερουργίαις καὶ παρὰ τὸν τῶν ἄθλων
>
χρόνον Tov νενομισμένον ἀπαλλάττονται. λῦτο δ᾽
3 ie 3"
ἀγών, αἱ δὲ ἐπιδημοῦσιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καθόδου
᾿
τυχοῦσαι ψηφίσματι φυγάδες, εἶτα ἐπιρρέουσιν ἐς
τὴν Ἦλιν αἱ μυῖαι αὖθις.
18. ξ 3 3 3 ᾽; ~ 7 9 ᾿
τ 0 ὀρφὼς θαλάττιον ζῷόν ἐστι, καὶ εἰ
ἐλοῖς καὶ ἀνατέμοις, οὐκ ἂν ἴδοις τεθνεῶτα παρα-
χρῆμα ἀρ ἀλλὰ ἐπιλαμβάνει τῆς κινήσεως καὶ
οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον. διὰ χειμῶνος δὲ ἐν τοῖς φωλεοῖς
Ε 4
οἰκουρῶν χαίρει, διατριβαὶ δὲ ἄρα at πρὸς τῇ γῇ
μᾶλλον φίλαι αὐτῷ. "“᾿

19. Λύκος ὁμόσε ταύρῳ χωρεῖν καὶ ἰέναι οἱ
κατὰ πρόσωπον ἠκιστός ἐστι, δέδοικε δὲ τὰ
κέρατα καὶ τὰς ἀκμὰς αὐτῶν ἐκνεύει. καὶ ὡς ἐξ
εὐθείας οἱ μαχούμενος ἀπειλεῖ: οὐ μὴν δρᾷ τοῦτο
ἀλλὰ ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπιθησόμενος ὑποφαίνει, εἶτα
μέντοι “προσπεσόντος ὁ δὲ ἑαυτὸν ὀξελέξας. ἐς τὰ
νῶτα ἀνέθορε, καὶ ἐγκρατῶς ἔχεται τοῦ θηρὸς ὃ

: τὰς γυναῖκας del. Cobet,

40 ς ς a
QUULS ὡς Ql γυναῖκες.
310

ON ANIMALS, V. 17-19

and with the local inhabitants. At any rate, despite
the multitude of sacrifices, the quantity of blood shed

and of flesh hung out, the Flies disappear of their avoids the
ympic

Alpheus. And they appear to differ not a whit from
the women there, except that their behaviour shows
them to be more self-restrained than the women.
For while women are excluded by the rules of train-
ing and of continence at that season, the Flies of their
own free will abstain from the sacrifices and absent
themselves while the ceremonies are in progress and
during the recognised period of the Games. ‘ Then

was the assembly ended’ [Hom. JI. 24. 1] and the

Flies come home, just like exiles whom a decree has
allowed to return, and once again they stream into

Elis.

own free will and cross to the opposite bank of the games

18. The Great Sea Perch is a marine creature, and The Great

if you were to catch and cut it up, you would not then
and there see it dead, but it retains the power of
movement, and for a considerable time. All through
the winter it likes to remain at home in its caverns,
and its favourite resorts are near the land.

Sea Perch

19. The Wolf does not dare to close with a Bull and Wolf and
to meet it face to face; he is afraid of its horns and BZ! »

avoids their points. So he makes a feint of attacking
the Bull frontally; he does not however attack but
gives the appearance of being about to try; and
then when the Bull makes a rush at him, the Wolf
slips aside and leaps on its back and clings with might
and main, beast wrestling with beast. And the Wolf
a

- 3 ὀρφός. 4. ἐστι καὶ εἰκότως.

ἡ
ἜΞΩ

ΟΣ Be nore pred! μὴ qq
LIE TENOR SREP I AE PETE ΕΣ τε τ τ εν PSO IRE

AELIAN

Ay; ¢ > ,ὔ λ A / > ~

φυσικῇ τὸ ἐνδέον ἀνακούμενος ὁ λύκος.

20. "Ὄνος 6 θαλά ἐν τῇ ὶ τὴ Ἵ
᾿ vos ὁ θαλάττιος ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τὴν καρδίαν
ἔλαχεν ἔχειν, ὡς οἵ δεινοὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα 1 ὅμολο-
γοῦσιν ἡμῖν καὶ διδάσκουσιν.

ε ~ ΚῚ |

_ 21. O ταῶς oldev ὀρνίθων ὡραιότατος ὦν, Ka}
\ 4 / A ‘

ἔνθα ot τὸ κάλλος κάθηται, καὶ τοῦτο οἶδε, καὶ

» 5 3. A A \
em αὐτῷ κομᾷ Kat σοβαρός ἐστι, καὶ θαρρεῖ τοῖς ᾿

πτεροῖς, ἅπερ οὖν αὐτῷ καὶ κόσμον περιτίθησι,
καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἔξωθεν φόβον ἀποστέλλει, καὶ ἐν
ὥρᾳ θερείῳ σκέπην οἴκοθεν καὶ οὐκ ἠτημένην
οὐδὲ ὀθνείαν παρέχεται. ἐὰν γοῦν θελήσῃ φοβῆσαί
τινα, ἐγείρας τὰ οὐραῖα εἶτα διεσείσατο καὶ
ἀπέστειλεν ἦχον, καὶ ἔδεισαν of παρεστῶτες, ὡς
ὁπλίτου τὸν ἐκ τῶν ὅπλων πεφοβημένοι δοῦπον.
ἀνατείνει δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ ἐπινεύει σοβαρώτατα,
ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπισείων “τριλοφίαν. δεηθείς γε μὴν
ψυχάσαι, τὰ πτερὰ ἐγείρει, καὶ ἐς τοὔμπροσθεν
ἐπικλίνας συμφυᾶ σκιὰν ἀποδείκνυται τοῦ ἰδίου
σώματος τὴν ἀκμὴν τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀκτῖνος ἀποστέγων.
εἰ δὲ εἴη καὶ ἄνεμος κατόπιν, ἡσυχῆ διίστησι τὰ
πτερά: καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα «τὸ» διαρρέον αὔρας of
μαλακὰς καὶ ἡδίστας ἐπιπνέον ἀναψύχειν τὸν ὄρ-
νιν δίδωσιν. ἐπαινεθεὶς δὲ αἰσθάνεται, καὶ ὥσπερ
οὖν ἢ παῖς καλὸς ἢ γυνὴ ὡραία τὸ μάλιστα πλεονε-
κτοῦν 3 τοῦ σώματος ἐπιδείκνυσιν, οὕτω τοι καὶ
ἐκεῖνος τὰ πτερὰ ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ κατὰ στοῖχον ὁρ-
θοῖ, καὶ ἔοικεν ἀνθηρῷ λειμῶνι ἢ γραφῇ πεποικιλ-

* Jae; δεινότατοι αὐτά,

2 «τό add. Η.

6192

Pa:
8

ON ANIMALS, V. 19-21

overpowers it and by native cunning makes good his
lack of strength.

| 90. The Hake has its heart in its belly, as ex~ The Hake
perts in these matters agree and inform us. | _

91. The Peacock knows that it is the most beautiful The Peacock

of birds; it knows too wherein its beauty resides; it
prides itself on this and is haughty, and gathers con-
fidence from the plumes which are its ornament and
which inspire strangers with terror. In summertime
they afford it a covering of its own, unsought, not
adventitious. If, for instance, it wants to scare
somebody it raises its tail-feathers and shakes them
and emits a scream, and the bystanders are terrified,
as though scared by the clang of a hoplite’s armour.
And it raises its head and nods most pompously, as
though it were shaking a triple plume at one.
When however it needs to cool. itself it raises its
feathers, inclines them in a forward direction and dis-
plays a natural shade from its own body, and wards
off the fierceness of the sun’s rays. But if there is a
wind behind it, it gradually expands its feathers, and
the breeze which streams through them, blowing
gently and agreeably, enables the bird to cool itself.
It knows when it has been praised, and as some
handsome boy or lovely woman displays that feature
which excels the rest, so does the Peacock raise its
feathers in orderly succession; and it resembles a
flowery meadow or a picture made beautiful by the
many hues of the paint, and painters must be pre-
pared to sweat in order to represent its special

3 ~ > a
πλεονεκτοῦν εἰς ὡραν.

513

AELIAN

4 ᾽ὔ, “--ῬΘΟ “-
μένῃ πολυχροίᾳ τῇ τῶν φαρμάκων, καὶ ἱδρὼς πρό-

7 > “~
Kettat ζωγράφοις εἰκάσαι τῆς φύσεως τὸ ἴδιον

λ Ὁ 3 ~” > \ >
καὶ ὅπως Exel τῆς ἐς THY ἐπίδειξιν ἀφθονίας

/
παρίστησιν" ἐᾷ γὰρ ἐμπλησθῆναι τῆς θέας τοὺς
παρεστῶτας, καὶ ἑαυτὸν περιάγει δεικνὺς φιλοπό-
ae TO τῆς πτερώσεως πολύμορφον, ὑπὲρ τὴν τῶν
nowy ἐσθῆτα καὶ τὰ (τῶν 1 Περσῶν ποικίλματα

4 ς “-. \
τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολὴν ἀποδεικνύμενος ἐκεῖνός γε
σοβαρώτατα. λέγεται δὲ ἐκ βαρβάρων ἐς Ἕλληνας

κομισθῆναι. καὶ χρόνου πολλοῦ σπάνιος ὧν εἶτα
ἐδεώενυτο τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῖς φιλοκάλοις μισθοῦ.
καὶ Αθήνησί γε ταῖς νουμηνίαις ἐδέχοντο καὶ
ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας ἐπὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν αὐτῶν, καὶ
τὴν θέαν πρόσοδον εἶχον. ἐτιμῶντο δὲ τὸν
ἄρρενα καὶ τὸν θῆλυν δραχμῶν μυρίων, ὡς ᾽Αν-
τιφῶν ἐν τῷ πρὸς ᾿Ερασίστρατον λόγῳ φησί. δεῖ
δὲ καὶ διπλῆς οἰκίας τῇ τροφῇ αὐτῶν, καὶ φρουρῶν
τε καὶ μελεδωνῶν. ὍὉρτήσιος δὲ 6 Ῥωμαῖος
ὙΠ Ὁ ἐπὶ δείπνῳ ταῶν πρῶτος ἐκρίθη.

) ἐξανδρος δὲ ὃ Μακεδὼν ἐν ᾿Ἰνδοῖς ἰδὼν τούσδε
τοὺς ὄρνιθας ἐξεπλάγη, καὶ τοῦ κάλλους θαυμάσας
ἠπείλησε τῷ καταθύσαντι ταῶν ἀπειλὰς βαρυτάτας.

De Ἢ \ “ ῳ e , 3
_ 22. Ἐς τοὺς ψυκτῆρας ὅταν οἱ μύες ἐμπέσωσιν,
nw >
ἀνανεῦσαι καὶ ἀνελθεῖν οὐ δυνάμενοι, τὰς ἀλλήλων
οὐρὰς ἐνδακόντες εἶτα ἐφέλ ; ὅτε
ς ς εἶτα ἐφέλκουσι τὸν δεύτερον ὃ
πρῶτος καὶ ὃ δεύτ ; f y ἐν δὴ
Bros Epos Tov τρίτον. οὕτω μὲν δὴ
a 4 “-
καὶ τούτους ἀλλήλοις συμμαχεῖν καὶ ἐπικουρεῖν ἡ
' |
σοφωτάτη φύσις ἐξεπαίδευσεν.
314

ΟΝ ANIMALS, V. 21-22

characteristics. And it proves how ungrudgingly it .
exhibits itself by permitting bystanders to take their

- fill of gazing, as it turns itself about and industriously

shows off the diversity of its plumage, displaying
with the utmost pride an array surpassing the gar-
ments of the Medes and the embroideries of the
Persians. It is said to have been brought to Greece
from foreignlands. And since for a long while it was
a rarity, it used to be exhibited to men of taste for a
fee, and at Athens the owners used on the first day
of each month to admit men and women to study
them, and they made a profit by the spectacle.
They used to value the cock and the hen at ten
thousand drachmas,* as Antiphon says in his speech
against Erasistratus.? For their maintenance a
double establishment and custodians and keepers are
needed. Hortensius the Roman was judged to have
been the first man to slaughter a Peacock for a ban-
quet. But Alexander of Macedon was struck with
amazement at the sight of these birds in India, and
in his admiration of their beauty threatened the
severest penalties for any man who slew one.

29. When Mice fall into cooling-vessels, since they
cannot get out by swimming, they fasten their teeth
into one another’s tails, and then the first pulls the
second and the second the third. In this way has
Nature in her supreme wisdom taught them to

combine and help one another.

See ee tee a ὡς.
| 1 ςτῶνΣ add. H. |
315

AELIAN

23. ᾿ἙΕλλοχῶσιν οἱ κροκόδιλοι τοὺς ὑδρευομέ-

3 ~ /
vous ἐκ τοῦ Νείλου τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. φρύγανα
ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιβαλό 1 καὶ δι αὐτῶν ἐμβλέ
ts ἐπιβαλόντες * καὶ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐμβλέποντες
a“ #
εἶτα ὑπονέουσι τοῖς φρυγάνοις. οἱ δὲ ἀφικνοῦνται
7 “aA ‘4
κεράμια 7) κάλπεις ἢ πρόχους κομίζοντες. εἶχα
3 \ e ~ j
ἀρυτομένους 2 αὐτοὺς ὑπεκδύντες τῶν φρυγάνων
~ 3, 7 ~
καὶ τῇ ὄχθῃ προσαναπηδήσαντες ἁρπαγῇ βιαιο-
3 ~
τάτῃ συλλαβόντες ἔχουσι δεῖπνον. κακίας δὴ Kal
ν᾽ : i ~ },
πανουργίας κροκοδίλων συμφυοῦς εἴρηταί μοι τὰ
νῦν ταῦτα.

24. Λαγὼς δέδοικε κύνας καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἀλώπηξ.
καὶ ποῦ «καὶ» σῦν ἐγείρουσιν * ἐκ τῆς λόχμης αἱ
αὐταὶ τῇ ὑλακῇ, καὶ λέοντα ἐπιστρέφουσι, καὶ
ἔλαφον διώκουσιν: ὀρνίθων δὲ οὐδὲ εἷς ὥραν
ποιεῖται κυνός, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅ ἔνσπονδά
ἐστι. μόνη δὲ ἡ ὠτὶς πέφρικε κύνας. τὸ δὲ
αἴτιον, βαρεῖαί τέ εἰσι καὶ σαρκῶν ὄγκον περιφέ-
ρουσιν. «οὔκουν αὐτὰς αἴρει τε καὶ ἐλαφρίζει τὰ
πτερὰ ῥᾳδίως, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ταπειναὶ πέτονται
καὶ κάτω περὶ γῆν, βρίθοντος τοῦ ὄγκου αὐτάς.
αἱροῦνται δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν κυνῶν πολλάκις. ὅπερ
ἑαυταῖς συνειδυῖαι, ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν ὑλακῆς, ἐς
τοὺς θάμνους καὶ τὰ ἕλη καταθέουσι, προβαλ-
λόμεναι ἑαυτῶν ταῦτα, καὶ ῥυόμεναι σφᾶς ἐκ τῶν
παρόντων καὶ μάλα εὐπόρως.

, 25. ᾿Οψὲ τοὺς γειναμένους ἄνθρωπος γνωρίζειν
ἄρχεται, διδασκόμενος καὶ οἱονεὶ καταναγκαζόμε-
νος ὃ ἐς πατέρα ὁρᾶν καὶ μητέρα ἀσπάζεσθαι καὶ
οἰκείοις προσμειδιᾶν" οἱ δὲ ἄρνες περὶ τὰς μητέρας

>
1 ἐπιβάλλοντες, 2 ἀρυομένους,

316

ON ANIMALS, V. 23-25

23. This is the way in which Crocodiles lie in wait The _
for those who draw water from the Nile: they cover "°°
themselves with driftwood and, spying through it,
swim up beneath it. And the people come bringing
earthen vessels or pitchers or Jugs. Then, as men
draw water, the creatures emerge from the drift-
wood, leap against the bank, and seizing them with
overpowering force make a meal of them. So much
for the innate wickedness and villainy of Crocodiles.

94, The Hare dreads Hounds, and so too does the The Busters
Fox. And Hounds, I fancy, with their barking wilh eee
rouse a boar from the brake, and will bring a lion to
bay, and pursue a stag. Yet there is not a single
bird that cares anything for a Hound, but there is
peace between them. The Bustard alone is afraid
of Hounds, the reason being that these birds are
heavy and carry a burden of flesh about with them.
Their wings do not easily lift them and carry them
through the air, so they fly low along the ground,
weighed down by their bulk. Hence they are fre-
quently captured by Hounds. And since they, are
aware of this, whenever they hear the bark of
Hounds, they run away into thickets and swamps,
using these as a protection and. escaping instant

danger without difficulty.

25. The human child is slow to recognise its The Lamb
parents: it is taught and, one might say, compelled 7
to look at its father, to greet its mother, and to smile
upon its relatives. Whereas Lambs from the day of

4 Jac: auveyetpovow.
8. Retske: κατᾳδόμενος.

317

8. ἐκαίς add. Η.

8 9 7 A
παρ᾽ αὐτῶν.

AELIAN

~ 3 A “σ᾿ ἃ a
πηδῶσιν ἀπὸ γενεᾶς, καὶ ἴσασι τό τε ὀθνεῖον Ka}:
4 ? “ ἃ Ἁ ~ a
TO οἰκεῖον, καὶ παρὰ τῶν νομέων μαθεῖν δέονται
οὐδὲ ἕν. : ἂς

26. MupnAdcrarov ἐστιν ὁ πίθηκος ζῷον, καὶ
πᾶν ὃ τι ἂν ἐκδιδάξης τῶν διὰ τοῦ σώματος
πραττομένων ὁ δὲ εἴσεται ἀκριβῶς, ἵνα ἐπιδεί-
ξηται + αὐτό. ὀρχεῖται 5 γοῦν, ἐὰν μάθῃ, καὶ
αὐλεῖ, ἐὰν ἐκδιδάξῃς. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἡνίας κατέχοντα

Ἂ 4 > 7 8 ᾿
εἶδον καὶ ἐπιβάλλοντα τὴν μάστιγα καὶ ἐλαύνοντα.

καὶ ἄλλο δ᾽ ἄν τι μαθὼν καὶ ἄλλο οὐ διαψεύσαιτο
x

Tov διδάξαντα" οὕτως apa ἡ φύσις ποικίλον τε Kal

εὐτράπελόν ἐστιν.

21. Ἴδιαι δὲ καὶ διάφοροι τῶν ζῴων καὶ αἵδε
ai φύσεις. τοὺς ἐν τοῖς Βισάλταις λαγὼς διπλᾶ
ἥπατα ἔχειν Θεόπομπος λέγει. τὰς δ᾽ ἐν Λέρῳ
μελεαγρίδας ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἀδικεῖσθαι τῶν γαμψω-
νύχων ὀρνέων λέγει "lorpos. τοὺς δὲ ἐν Νευροῖς
βοῦς ᾿Αριστοτέλης φησὶν ἐπὶ τῶν ὦμων ἔχειν τὰ
κέρατα, ᾿Αγαθαρχίδης δὲ τὰς ἐν Αἰθιοπίᾳ ds
κέρατα ἔχειν. Σώστρατος δὲ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Κυλλήνῃ
κοσσύφους πάντας λέγει λευκούς. ᾿Αλέξανδρος
d€ ὁ Μύνδιος {τὰΣ ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ πρόβατα
πιαίνεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ πικροτάτου φησὶν ἀψινθίου.
τὰς δὲ ἐν τῷ Μίμαντι γινομένας αἶγας ἕξ μηνῶν
μὴ πίνειν, ὁρᾶν δὲ ἐς τὴν θάλατταν μόνον καὶ
Kexnvevar καὶ τὰς αὖρας τὰς ἐκεῖθεν δέχεσθαι 6
αὐτὸς λέγει. αἶγας δὲ ᾿Ιλλυρίδας ὁπλὴν ἀκούω

1 va μαθὼν καὶ ἀποδείξηται.

2 4 3 a“
Kal ὀρχεῖται.

8 Perh. καὶ τῶνδε Η. 4 <ra> add. Jac.

318

Bae

ON ANIMALS, V. 25-27

their birth gambol about their dams and know what
is strange and what is akin to them. They have no
need to learn anything from their shepherds.

26. The Monkey is a most imitative creature, and The Monkey

any bodily action that you teach it it acquires exactly,
so as to be able to display its accomplishment. For
instance, it will dance, once it has learnt, and if you
teach it, will play the pipe. And I myself have even
seen it holding the reins, laying on the whip, and
driving a chariot. And once it has learnt whatever
it may be, it would never disappoint its teacher. So
versatile and so adaptable a thing is Nature.

27. Here are further examples of the peculiar and Peculiarities

diverse natures of animals. Theopompus reports
that in the country of the Bisaltae* the Hares have
a double liver. According to Ister the Guinea-fowls
of Leros are never injured by any bird of prey.
Aristotle says® that among the Neuri*® the Oxen
have their horns on their shoulders, and Agatharcides
says that in Ethiopia the Swine have horns. Sostra-
tus asserts that all Blackbirds on Cyllene ὦ are white.
Alexander of Myndus says that in Pontus the Flocks
grow fat upon the bitterest wormwood. He states
also that Goats born on Mimas® do not drink for
six months; all they do is to look towards the sea
with their mouths open and to drink in the breezes
from that quarter. I learn that the Goats of Illyria

¢ Macedonian tribe living on W coast of the gulf of the
Strymon.

ὃ Not in any surviving work; fr. 313 (Rose p. 331).

¢ Tribe living between the rivers Boug and Dnieper.

@ Mountain in N Arcadia.

6 Mountain on coast of Ionia, W of Smyrna.

319

of certain
animals

AELIAN

ἔχειν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ χηλήν. Θεόφραστος δὲ δαιμονιώ-
τατα λέγει ἐν τῇ Βα υλωνίᾳ γῇ τοὺς ty Bs
ἀνιόντας, ἐκ τοῦ ποταμοῦ εἶτα μέντοι ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ
τὰς νομὰς ποιεῖσθαι πολλάκις.

28, ἼἼδιον δὲ ἄρα <o>* πορφυρίων πρὸς τῷ
ξζηλοτυπώτατος εἶναι καὶ ἐκεῖνο " δήπου κέκτηται.
φιλοίκειον. αὐτὸν εἶναί φασιν καὶ τὴν συντροφίαν
τῶν συννόμων ἀγαπᾶν. ἐν οἰκίᾳ γοῦν τρέφεσθαι

πορφυρίωνα καὶ ἀλεκτρυόνα ἤκουσα, καὶ σιτεῖσθαι

μὲν τὰ αὐτά, βαδίζειν δὲ τὰς ἴσας βαδίσεις καὶ
κοινῇ κονίεσθαι. οὐκοῦν ἐκ τούτων φιλίαν τινὰ
θαυμαστὴν αὐτοῖς ἐγγενέσθαι. καί ποτε ἑορτῆς
ἐπιστάσης ὁ δεσπότης ἀμφοῖν. τὸν , ἀλεκτρυόνα
καταθύσας εἱστιάθη σὺν τοῖς οἰκείοις" 6 δὲ
πορφυρίων τὸν σύννομον οὐκ ἔχων καὶ τὴν ἐρη-
μίαν μὴ φέρων ἑαυτὸν ἀτροφίᾳ ca

29. Ἔν Αἰγίῳ τῆς ᾿Αχαίας ὡραίου. παιδός,
᾿Ωλενίου τὸ γένος, ὄνομα ᾿Αμφιλόχου, ἤρα χήν.
Θεόφραστος λέγει τοῦτο. σὺν tots ᾿Ωλενίων δὲ
φυγάσιν ἐφρουρεῖτο ἐν Αἰγίῳ ὁ παῖς. οὐκοῦν ὁ
χὴν αὐτῷ δῶρα ἔφερε. καὶ ἐν Χίῳ Ῥλαύκης τῆς
κιθαρῳδοῦ ὡραιοτάτης οὔσης εἰ μὲν ἤρων ἄνθρω-
ποι, μέγα οὐδέπω" ἠράσθησαν δὲ καὶ κριὸς καὶ
χήν, ὡς ἀκούω, τῆς αὐτῆς.

1 ¢§> add. H.

3 ew . \ 3? “a
O OpVLsS Kat εκεινο.

¢ Aegium, one of the principal cities of Achaia, stood on the
coast near the W end of the Corinthian gulf. It was the
regular meeting-place of the Achaean League.

320

ON ANIMALS, V. 27-29

have a solid, not a cloven hoof. And Theophrastus
[. 111. 2] has the most amazing statement that in
Babylonia the fish frequently come out of ne river

and pasture on dry land.

98, Now the Purple Coot, in addition to being The Purple

they say that it is devoted to its own kin and loves
the company of its mates. At any rate I have heard
that a Purple Coot and a Cock were reared in the
same house, that they fed together, that they walked
step for step, and that they dusted in the same spot.

From these causes there sprang up a remarkable >
friendship between them. And one day on the
occasion of a festival their master sacrificed the Cock
and made a feast with his household. But the Purple

_ Coot, deprived of its companion and unable to endure

the loneliness, starved itself to death.

29. In Aegium,* a city of Achaia, a good-looking Geese in

boy, an Olenian ® by birth, of the name of Amphilo-

chus, was loved by a Goose. Theophrastus relates beings

this [ fr. 109]. The boy was kept under guard with
exiles from Olenus in Aegium, and so the Goose used
to bring him presents. In Chios Glauce, the harp-
player, being a woman of extraordinary beauty, was.
adored by men, not that there is anything wonderful
in that, but I am told that a Ram and a Goose also.
fell in love with her.

’ Olenus was 2 small town on the NW coast of Achaia, near
the mouth of the Pirus. The reference to ‘exiles from Ὁ.
is obscure; it may signify an effort on the part of the Achaean
League to ensure peace among the 12 cities of Achaia. As

the League was broken up by Alexander, the event must have

occurred earlier.
221

VOL. I M

AELIAN ON ANIMALS, V. 29-30

When Geese cross the Taurus range they go in fear Geese and
of the eagles; so each of them bites on a pebble oe
to prevent it from uttering its cry, Just as though
they had gagged themselves, and so they cross in
silence and by these means generally slip past the
eagles. The Goose. being of a very hot and fiery habits and
nature is fond of bathing and delights in swimming, are
and prefers very moist fare, grass, lettuce, and all
other things that generate coolness in its body. But

Οἱ δὲ χῆνες διαμείβοντες τὸν ‘Tabpov τὸ ὄρος de-
δοίκασι τοὺς ἀετούς, καὶ ἕκαστός γε αὐτῶν Λλίθον
ἐνδακόντες, ἵνα μὴ κλάζωσιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐμβαλόν-
τες σφίσι στόμιον, διαπέτονται σιωπῶντες, καὶ
τοὺς ἀετοὺς τὰ πολλὰ ταύτῃ διαλανθάνουσι.
θερμότατος δὲ ἄρα ὧν καὶ διαπυρώτατος τὴν
φύσιν ὁ χὴν φιλόλουτρός ἐστι καὶ νήξεσι χαίρει
καὶ τροφαῖς μάλιστα ταῖς ὑγροτάταις καὶ πόαις

sae
SERRA are SEEN ἦ ie τὰν " “ΩΣ
Hasty BYLINE ESL AEST ett 20s LIOR THA LST LUNI od αξ κα. τ τέρα WpepsldvenNeseTd pas

ἀρ σε HY SRS a SES LIAS καρ τ RA DS AT CON ONCOL TOOL EE AOL RP RUHR

iain tai

MESH PEI ΣΕ ΟΣ ELEN IEE

fil

s f A ~ “- Ω 5 A
καὶ θριδακίναις Kat. τοῖς λοιποῖς, oa αὑτοῖς
3, “ > / > \ \ ? ;
ἔνδοθεν ψῦχος ἐργάζεται: εἰ δὲ Kat ἐξαυαΐνοιτο

“- “σι 7 3 nw ?
ὑπὸ (τοῦδ! λιμοῦ, δάφνης φύλλον οὐκ ἂν Payor,
: ¢ A 3 2
οὐδ᾽ ἂν πάσαιτο ῥοδοδάφνης οὔτε ἑκὼν οὔτε ἀκων'"

> / ‘ >

olde yap ὅτι τεθνήξεται τούτων τινος ἐμφαγών.

ἄνθρωποι δὲ ὑπ᾽ ἀσωτίας ὃ ἐπιβουλεύονται καὶ ἐς

lo \ ,ὔ

τροφὴν καὶ ἐς ποτόν.) μυρίοι γοῦν καὶ πίνοντές
? 7 ῖ 3 /

πι κακὸν κατέπιον, ws ᾿Αλέξανδρος, καὶ ἐσθίοντες,

¢ / ec “a 8 4 ¢ 7

ὡς Κλαύδιος ὁ Ῥωμαῖος καὶ Βρεττανικὸς ὁ τούτου

- > f ,
παῖς: καὶ κατακοιμηθέντες οὐκ ἐξανέστησαν xpy-

; ~ ΄
σει φαρμάκου, οἱ μὲν ἑκόντες τοῦτο σπάσαντες, οἱ
δὲ ἐπιβουλευθέντες.

30. Ὁ δὲ χηναλώπηξ, πέπλεκταί οἱ τὸ ὄνομα 4
de τῶν <éxarépov>® τοῦ ζῴου ἰδίων τε καὶ
συμφυῶν. ἔχει μὲν γὰρ τὸ εἶδος τὸ τοῦ χηνός,
πανουργίαν ὃ δὲ δικαιότατα ἀντικρίνοιτο ἂν τῇ
ἀλώπεκι. καὶ ἔστι μὲν χηνὸς βραχύτερος, ἀνδρειό-
τερος δέ, καὶ χωρεῖν ὁμόσε δεινός. ἀμύνεται γοῦν
καὶ ἀετὸν καὶ αἴλουρον καὶ τὰ λοιπά, ὅσα αὐτοῦ
ἀντίπαλά ἐστιν.

1 <rod> add. H. 2 Pauw: ὑπὸ σοφίας.

8. Ges: ὕπνον. 4 ὄνομα καὶ εἰκότως.
f

5 <éxarépou» add. Η. 6 πανουργίᾳ.

222

ΡΝ

even if it is exhausted with hunger it will not eat a
bay-leaf or touch a rose-laurel either willingly or
against its will,.for it knows that if it eats either of
them it will die. |
Yet men through their unbridled appetites are the Human
victims of plots against their food and drink. At any Meee
rate countless numbers have swallowed some bane dink
while drinking, like Alexander,? or in food, like
Claudius the Roman,? and Britannicus, his son.°
And having fallen asleep from a dose of poison, they
never rose again, some having drunk it deliberately,

others because they were the victims of a plot.

30. The Egyptian Goose owes its composite name The
(goose-fox) to the innate peculiarities of the two qos
creatures. It has the appearance of a goose, but
for its mischievousness it might most justly be com-
pared to the fox. It is smaller than a goose but more
courageous, and is a fierce fighter. For instance, it
defends itself against an eagle, a cat, and all other .
animals that come against it. ; '

@ Alexander died (323 8.0.) of a fever aggravated by
excessive drinking.

> Roman Emperor, 4.D. 41-54, poisoned by his. wife
Agrippina. |

¢ Poisoned by order of Nero, a.v. 55.

373

AELIAN

31. δια δὲ ὄφεως καὶ ἐκεῖνά ἐστι. τὴν καρ-
δίαν κεκλήρωται ἐπὶ TH φάρυγγι, τὴν δὲ χολὴν
ἐν τοῖς ἐντέροις, πρὸς δὲ τῇ οὐρᾷ τοὺς ὄρχεις
ἔχει, τὰ δὲ Wa τίκτει μακρὰ καὶ μαλακά, τὸν δὲ
ἰὸν ἐν τοῖς ὀδοῦσι φέρει. :

~ 4 ἴω + ~ ? ι
; 52. Tad δὲ τῷ ὄρνιθι τῷ προειρημένῳ καὶ
ἐκεῖνα συμφυᾶ καὶ ἰδία, ἅπερ ἐστὶ μαθεῖν ἄξια.
τρία ἔτη γενόμενος. κυήσεως ἄρχεται καὶ ὠδῖνα

ἀπολύει καὶ τῆς τῶν πτερῶν πολυχροίας τε καὶ

ὥρας τότε ἄρχεται. ἐπφάξει δὲ οὐ. κατὰ τὸ ἑξῆς,
ἀλλὰ παραλιπὼν δύο ἡμέρας. ἤδη δ᾽ ἂν τέκοι
καὶ ὑπηνέμια ὃ ταώς, ὡς καὶ ὄρνιθες ἕτεροι.

33. Ἢ νῆττα, ὅταν τέκῃ, τίκτει μὲν Ἰ ἐν ξηρῷ,
πλησίον δὲ ἢ τῆς λίμνης ἢ τοῦ τενάγους ἢ ἄλλου
τινὸς ὑδρηλοῦ χώρου καὶ ἐνδρόσου. τὸ δὲ νήτ-

ue 2 φύσει τινὶ ἰδίᾳ καὶ ἀπορρήτῳ οἶδεν ὅ ὅτι μήτε,

τῆς ὃ μετεώρου φορᾶς of μέτεστι μήτε μὴν Tis
ἐν τῇ χέρσῳ διατριβῆς. καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἐς τὸ
ὕδωρ πηδᾷ, καὶ ἐξ ὠδίνων ἐστὶ νηκτιική, καὶ
μαθεῖν οὐ δεῖται, ἀλλὰ καταδύεται καὶ ἀναδύεται
πάνυ σοφῶς καὶ ὡς ἤδη χρόνου πεπαιδευμένη
τοῦτο. ἀετὸς δέ, ὃ ὃν καλοῦσι νηττοφόνον, ἐπιπηδᾷ
τῇ νηχομένῃ ὡς ἁρπασόμενος: ἡ δὲ καταδῦσα
ἑαυτὴν ἠφάνισεν, εἶτα ὑπονηξαμένη ἀλλαχόθι
ἐκκύπτει. ὁ δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖ πάρεστι, καὶ αὖθις
κατέδυ ἐκείνη, καὶ πάλιν ταῦτα καὶ πάλιν. καὶ
δυοῖν θάτερον’ ἢ γὰρ καταδῦσα ὁ ἀπεπνίγη, ἢ 6

1 μέντοι. 2 νεοττίον.
3 Fal ? 5» 4 P ᾿ ,
τῆς ἐν ἀέρι. auw: καταδύς.

324

ΜΟΥ ΡΥ ΤΥ ΤΡ ΡΥ εὐον καρρθκονονδέ Pe οὐ ΑΝ
DIRS SVE LESS EB EERE eM ταν NU gE SNES LGN LO

pes

SPST ATLL ON EEA oe SLE EES

ΠΡΟ το τε:

SE Se

ON ANIMALS, V. 31-33

91. The following features are peculiar to the Anatomy of

Snake. The heart has its allotted place close to the ™° °™™**°

throat, the gall in the intestines; its testicles are
close to the tail; the eggs which it produces are long
and soft; its poison is contained in the fangs.

32. The Peacock (I have described the bird the Peacock

above) ἃ has these further innate peculiarities which
are worth knowing. When three years old it begins

‘to be pregnant and lays its eggs, and then starts to

assume that many-coloured and beautiful plumage.
But it does not brood upon its eggs immediately,
but passes over two days. And the Peacock, like
other birds, may from time to time lay a Wi Eee

33. When the Duck lays its eggs it lays them on The Duck

land but close to a lake or shallow pool or some other
watery, moist spot. And the Duckling by some
mysterious instinct knows that it is incapable both of
flying high in the air and of remaining on land. For
this reason it leaps into the water and can swim
from the moment itis hatched ; it has no need to learn
but dives and comes up again with great skill as
though it had already been taught for some time.

But the Eagle which they call the ‘ duck-killer ἡ and Eagle

swoops upon the Duck as she swims, meaning to carr

her off; but the Duck dives and vaniches. and then
after swimming under water, bobs up in another
place. But the Eagle is there also, and again the
Duck dives; and this happens again and again.
Then one of two things follows: either the Duck
after a dive is drowned, or the Eagle goes off after

@ See ch. 21.
325

AELIAN

μὲν ἀπέστη ἐπ᾽ ἄλλην ἄγραν, ἡ δὲ ἔχουσα τὸ

2 \ > [4 ἊΝ
. ἀδεὲς ἐπινήχεται αὖθις.

34. Πλέον- ἔχει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁ 6 κύκνος ἐν τοῖς
μεγίστοις" οἷδέ τε γὰρ ὁπότε τοῦ βίου τὸ τέρμα
ἀφικνεῖται αὐτῷ, καὶ μέντοι καὶ εὐθύμως φέρειν
αὐτὸ προσιὸν ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως λαχὼν 1 ἔχει
δῶρον τὸ κάλλιστον' πεπίστευκε γὰρ ὅτι μηδενὸς
ἀλγεινοῦ μηδὲ λυπηροῦ μέτεστι θανάτῳ. ἄνθρω-

ποι δὲ ὑπὲρ οὗ οὐκ ἴσασι δεδοίκασι, καὶ ἡγοῦνται
μέγιστον εἶναι κακὸν αὐτό. τοσοῦτον δὲ dpa τῷ

κύκνῳ περίεστιν εὐθυμίας, ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ κατα-
στροφῇ τοῦ βίου τοῦ σφετέρου ἄδειν καὶ ἀνα-
κρούεσθαι = οἷον ἐπικήδειόν τι ἑαυτῷ 3 μέλος.
τοιοῦτόν τινα καὶ τὸν Βελλεροφόντην ἡρωικῶς
καὶ μεγαλοψύχως ἐς θάνατον παρεσκευασμένον 6
Edpurions ὑμνεῖ. πεποίηκε γοῦν πρὸς THY ἑαυτοῦ
υχὴν λέγοντα αὐτὸν

ἦσθ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς μὲν εὐσεβής, ὃ ὅτ᾽ ᾿ ἦσθ᾽, ἀεί,
ξένοις τ᾽ ἐπήρκεις, οὐδ᾽ ἔκαμνες εἰς ἀιλονξ;

καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τούτοις.
τινα ἐπικήδειον ἑαυτῷ ὁ μοῦσαν, ἐφόδια διδοὺς
τῆς ἀποδημίας ἢ θεῶν ὕμνους ἢ ἔπαινον οἰκεῖόν
τινα. μαρτυρεῖ δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ὃ Σωκράτης ὅτι Ader
οὐ λυπούμενος ἀλλὰ εὐθυμούμενος μᾶλλον" μηδὲ
γὰρ ἄγειν σχολήν ποτε φδῇ καὶ μέλει τὸν κατὰ
τῆς ψυχῆς € ἔχοντά τι πρόσαντες καὶ ἀλγεινόν.
"Ἔχει δὲ ἄρα ὁ κύκνος οὐ μόνον πρὸς τὸν θάνα-͵
τον ἀνδρείως, ἤδη δὲ καὶ πρὸς μάχας. ἀδίκων μὲν
οὖν οὐκ ἄρχει, οἷα δήπου σώφρων καὶ πεπαιδευμέ-

1 λαβών.

2 ἀναγηρύεσθαι V?.

326

> ραν ς 1 ¢ 7 “~
OVKOUV καὶ O KUKVOS μελῳδεῖ

ON ANIMALS, V. 33-34

other prey ; whereupon the Duck, with nothing to
fear, swims once more upon the surface.

34. The Swan has this advantage over men in
matters of the greatest moment, for it knows when
the end of its life is at hand, and, what is more, in
bearing its approach with cheerfulness, it has received
from Nature the noblest of gifts. For it is confident
that in death there is neither pain nor sorrow. But
men are afraid of what they know not, and regard
death as the greatest of 41} 115. Now the Swan has
so contented a spirit that at the very close of its life
it sings and breaks out into a dirge, as it were, for
itself. Even so does Furipides [ fr. 311 N] sing of
Bellerophon, prepared like a hero of high soul for
death. For example, he has portrayed him address-
ing his soul thus:

‘Reverent wast thou ever in life towards the
gods; strangers didst thou succour; nor didst thou
ever grow weary towards thy friends —

and so on. So then the Swan too intones its own
funeral chant, and either by hymns to the gods or
by the rehearsal of its own praises it makes provision
for its departure. Socrates also testifies [Pl. Phaedo
84 ΕἾ] to the fact that it sings not from sorrow but
rather from cheerfulness, for (he says) a man whose

heart is vexed and sore has no leisure for song and

melody.

Now death is not the only thing that the Swan
faces with courage: it is not afraid of a fight. But
though it will not be the first to do an injury, any

3 ~ f ; 7 4 ? “-
τοῦτο τὸ. αὐτῷ.

327

The Swan
and death

ΣΧ ΜΗ ΡΣ,

Bn eter aki

pyre

AELIAN

vos ἀνήρ, τῷ δὲ ἄρξαντι : οὔτε ἀφίσταται οὔτε
εἴκει. οἱ μὲν οὖν ὄρνιθες οἱ λοιποί, εἰρηναῖα
αὐτοῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔνσπονδά ἐστιν," 6 δὲ
ἀετὸς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦτον ὥρμησε πολλάκις, ὡς
Ἀριστοτέλης ' φησί, “καὶ οὐδεπώποτε ἐκράτησεν,
ἡττήθη δὲ ἀεὶ μὴ μόνον σὺν τῇ ῥώμῃ τοῦ κύκνου
μαχομένου, ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺν τῇ δίκῃ ἀμυνομένου.

35. Ὃ ἐρῳδιὸς τὰ ὄστρεα ἐσθίειν δεινός ἐστι
καὶ μεμυκότα αὐτὰ καταπίνει, ὥσπερ οὖν of
πελεκᾶνες τὰς κόγχας. καὶ ἐν τῷ καλουμένῳ
πρηγορεῶνι ὑποθερμαίνων ὁ ἐρῳδιὸς φυλάττει τὰ

Ξ \ e 4 “~ >
ὄστρεα: τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀλέας διίσταται, Kal

3 ~ ? 7 \
ἐκεῖνος αἰσθανόμενος Ta μὲν ὄστρακα ἀνεμεῖ,

«δος r Oey , ἫΝ
φυλάττει δὲ τὴν σάρκα, καὶ ἔχεν τροφὴν ἀναλίσκων

} Ean ~ - 3, β
τῇ τῆς πέψεως δυνάμει τὸ ἔσω παρελθὸν ὁλόκλη-

ρον.

56. ᾿Ονομά ἐστιν ὄρνιθος ἀστερίας, καὶ τιθασεύε-
ταί γε ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἀνθρώπου φωνῆς
ἐπαΐει. εἰ δέ τις αὐτὸν ὀνειδίζων δοῦλον εἴποι, ὃ
δὲ ὀργίζεται" καὶ εἴ τις ὄκνον καλέσειεν αὐτόν, ὃ
δὲ βρενθύεται καὶ ἀγανακτεῖ, ὡς καὶ ἐς τὸ ἀγεννὲς
σκωπτόμενος καὶ ἐς ἀργίαν εὐθυνόμενος.

3 ~
37. Hi κατέχοι τις ὀπὸν Κυρηναῖον καὶ AdBouro

,ὔ “~
τῆς νάρκης, ἐνταῦθα δήπου τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς πάθος
?
ἐκπέφευγε. δράκοντα δὲ θαλάττιον εἰ ἀνασπάσαι

1 ἄρξαντι καὶ ἐπιβουλεύοντι. 2 Schn : εἶσιν.

6 “This is no Heron but some other bird ’ (Thompson, Gh.
birds, 8.v.).

328

ON ANIMALS, V. 34-37

more than a sober, educated man would be, yet it
will not retire and give way before an aggressor.
While all other birds are on terms of peace with the
Swan, the Eagle has frequently attacked it, as
Aristotle says [HA 610 a1, 615 b 1], though it has
never yet overcome it, but has always been defeated
not only through the strength of the Swan in battle
but also because in defending itself the Swan has
justice on its side.

35. The Heron is a great eater of oysters and The Heron

swallows them when closed,* as pelicans swallow
mussels. And the Heron warms the oysters a little
in what is called its ‘ crop’ and retains them there.
Under the influence of the heat the oysters open, and
the Heron becoming aware of this, disgorges the
shells but retains the flesh; and it lives by consuming
entire, thanks to a strong digestion, all that passes
down into it. |

36. There is a bird called Asterias (starling ?),? and
in Egypt, if tamed, it understands human speech.
And if anyone by way of insult calls it ‘slave,’ it
gets angry; and if anyone calls it ‘ skulker,’ it takes
umbrage and is annoyed, as though it was being
jeered at for its low birth and rebuked for its indo-

lence.

37. If a man with the juice of silphium on his hands The Torpedo

seizes the Torpedo, he avoids the pain which it in-
flicts. And should you attempt to draw the Great 7

’ Thompson (Gk. birds, s.v. ἀστερίας) records Bittern as a
common but unsatisfactory interpretation, but offers no other.

329

ERE

SIL p Mes Rae ne ICON i
g ΤΣ ΟΣ

SISOS ΕΓ ΑΟΥΤΣ fips

Rene pe Tease
LSI ΤΩΝ, Pr
ἜΣ ΞΕ 3

AELIAN

“A ~ 2 2 ς \ |
τῇ δεξιᾷ ἐθέλοις, ὃ δὲ οὐχ ἕψεται, ἀλλὰ μαχεῖ-

1 \ 3 4 νι “--
ται ἡ κατὰ κράτος" εἰ δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ ἀνάγοις 5
εἴκει καὶ ἑάλωκεν. '

98. Χάρμιδος ἀκούω τοῦ Μασσαλιώτου λέγοντος
φιλόμουσον μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἀηδόνα, ἤδη δὲ καὶ
φιλόδοξον. ἐν γοῦν ταῖς ἐρημίαις ὅταν ἄδῃ πρὸς
ἑαυτήν, ἁπλοῦν τὸ μέλος καὶ ἄνευ κατασκευῆς τὴν
ὄρνιν dew ὅταν δὲ ἁλῷ Kal τῶν ἀκουόντων ᾿ ᾿
διαμαρτάνῃ, ποικίλα τε ἀναμέλπειν καὶ ena
ἐλίττειν τὸ μέλος. καὶ Ὅμηρος δὲ τοῦτό μο
δοκεῖ ὑπαινίττεσθαι λέγων ᾿ i

ws δ᾽ ὅτε Πανδαρέου κούρη χλωρηὶς ἀηδών
καλὸν ἀείδῃσιν ἔαρος νέον ἱσταμένοιο, ᾿
δενδρέων ἐν πετάλοισι καθεζομένη πυκινοῖσιν,
n τε θαμὰ τρωπῶσα χέει πολυηχέα φωνήν.

" , \

ἤδη μέντοι τινὲς Kal πολυδευκέα φωνὴν ypd-

φουσι τὴν ποικίλως μεμιμημένην, ὡς τὴν BO :
5 >? 2) 3 ? ᾿ ΤῊΣ : re

τὴν μηδ᾽ ὅλως ἐς μίμησιν παρατραπεῖσαν.

39. Λέγει Δημόκριτος τῶν ζῴων μόνον τὸν
λέοντα ἐκπεπταμένοις τίκτεσθαι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς,
ἤδη τρόπον τινὰ τεθυμωμένον καὶ ἐξ ὠδίνων
δρασείοντά τι γεννικόν. ἐφύλαξαν δὲ ἄλλοι καὶ

“καθεύδων ὅτι κινεῖ τὴν οὐράν, ἐ j 3
! εἴ τὴν οὐράν, ἐνδεικνύμενος ὡς

τὸ εἰκὸς ὅτι μὴ πάντῃ ἀτρεμεῖ, μηδὲ μὴν κυκλω-
σάμενος αὐτὸν καὶ περιελθὼν ὁ ὕπνος καθεῖλεν
ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τῶν ζῴων τὰ λοιπά... τοιοῦτόν ΕἸ
φυλάξαντας Αἰγυπτίους ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ κομπάξειν
φασὶ λέγοντας ὅτι κρείττων ὕπνου λέων ἐστὶν
1 μάχεται. _ 3 ἄγοις.

330

ee ΟΣ ΙΕ ΠΡ R
li ἘΞ ΕΣ ΣΕ τον EE LAPSED ME ἐνερ ; Bie

feypep riley eerser jist
HEE

ae
=
9
&
nS
ἮΣ
RS
δα
ss

LSI af papa

SL Se TATA

ON ANIMALS, V. 37-39 |

Weever from the sea with your right hand, it will not
come but will fight vigorously. But if you haul it up

with your left hand, it yields and is captured.

38. From a statement of Charmis of Massilia I The
learn that the Nightingale is fond of music, and even
fond of fame. At any rate when it is singing to itself
in lonely places, he says, its melody is simple and
spontaneous. But in captivity when it has no lack of
hearers it lifts up its voice, warbling and trilling its
melting music. And Homer seems to me to hint as

much when he says [Od. 19. 518]

‘ And as when the daughter of Pandareus, the
greenwood Nightingale, sings sweet at the first
oncoming of spring, as she rests amid the thick
leafage of the trees, and ever varying her note
pours forth her full-throated music.’

But there are those who write πολυδευκέα φωνήν,
that is, ‘ variously imitating music,’ Just as ἀδευκέα
signifies ‘ unadapted for imitating.’

39. Democritus asserts that the Lion alone among The Lion

animals is born with its eyes open @ and from the hour
of birth is already to some extent angry and ready to
perform some spirited action. And others have
observed that even when asleep the Lion moves his
tail, showing, as you might expect, that he is not
altogether quiescent, and that, although sleep has
enveloped and enfolded him, it has not subdued
him as it does all other animals. The Egyptians,
they say, claim to have observed in him something of
this kind, asserting that the Lion is superior to sleep

@ See 4. 34.
2331

Nightingale

AELIAN

ἀγρυπνῶν ἀεί. ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ἡλίῳ ἀποκρζνειν
αὐτὸν αὐτοὺς πέπυσμαι: καὶ γάρ ToL καὶ τὸν
ἥλιον θεῶν ὄντα φιλοπονώτατον ἢ ἄνω 1 τῆς γῆς
ὁρᾶσθαι ἢ τὴν κάτω πορείαν ἰέναι μὴ ἡσυχάζοντα.
μηρόν τε μάρτυρα Αἰγύπτιοι ἐπάγονται, λέγοντα
ἠέλιόν τ ἀκάμαντα. ἔστι δὲ πρὸς τῇ ῥώμῃ καὶ
συνετὸς ὁ λέων. ταῖς γοῦν βουσὶν ἐπιβουλεύει

Γ΄

ESSA UE Ls
Pease

ON ANIMALS, V. 39

and for ever awake. And I have ascertained that
it is for this reason that they assign him to the sun,
for, as you know, the sun is the most hard-working »
of the gods, being visible above the earth or pursuing
his course beneath it without pause. And the
Egyptians cite Homer as a witness when he speaks
of the ‘ untiring sun ’ [J/. 18. 239]. And in addition
to his strength the Lion shows intelligence. For in-

, ~ > 3 27 oe
νύκτωρ φοιτῶν ἐς τὰ αὖὔλια. Ὅμηρος δὲ d
δ} ~ ᾽ ρα ε poe?
ἤδει καὶ τοῦτο λέγων stance, he has designs upon cattle and goes to their
| folds by night. Now Homer was aware of this when

he said [J/. 11. 172]:

‘ Like cattle which a lion has scared, coming in
the dead of night.’

And he strikes terror into them all by his strength,
but seizes only one and devours it. And when he and his prey
has gorged himself, he wishes to preserve the re-
mains for another occasion, yet he is ashamed to
stay and watch over them, as though he were afraid
of starving from want of food. Accordingly with
jaws agape he breathes upon them and trusts to his
breath to guard them while he himself goes on his
way. But when the other beasts arrive and realise
to whom the remains upon the ground belong, they
do not venture to touch them but go their way for
fear of seeming to rob and diminish anything that
belongs to their king. Now if the Lion chances to
be lucky and has good hunting, he forgets his former
prize, disregards it as being stale, and goes away.
Otherwise he returns to it as to a private store. And
when he has eaten more than enough, he empties

Ψ 8 ᾽ 3 4 βόες ὥς :
ἃς τε ὅ λέων ἐφόβησε μολὼν ἐν νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ.
καὶ ἐκπλήττει μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀλκῆς πάσας," μίαν δὲ
ἐξαρπάσας ἔδει ὃ ὅταν δὲ ἐς κόρον ἐμπλησθῇ,
βούλεται μὲν ταμιεύσασθαι καὶ ἐς αὖθις, αἰδὼς δὲ
ἰσχει αὐτὸν φρουρεῖν παραμένοντα, ὡς τροφῆς
χήτει λιμὸν δεδιότα. οὐκοῦν περιχανὼν ἐμπνεῖ
μὲν τοῦ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἄσθματος, καὶ τούτω τὴν
φυλακὴν ἐπιτρέπει, ἀπαλλάττεταί γε μὴν αὐτός"
τὰ δὲ “ἄλλα ζῷα ἥκοντα καὶ αἰσθανόμενα ὅτου
λείψανόν ἐστι τὸ κείμενον, οὐ τολμᾷ προσάψασθαι,
ἀλλὰ , ἀπαλλάττεται δεδιότα δοκεῖν συλᾶν καὶ
περικόπτειν τι τοῦ σφετέρου βασιλέως. τῷ δὲ
ἄρα εἰ μὲν εὐθηρία δ γένοιτο καὶ εὐερμία, λήθην
| τοῦ πρώτου λαμβάνει καὶ ὡς ἕωλον ἀτιμάσας
Ἵ ἀπαλλάττεται" εἰ δὲ μή, ὡς ἐπ᾽ οἰκεῖον θη-
σαύρισμα παραγίνεται. ὅταν δὲ ὑπερπλησθῇ, κενοῖ
<avTov ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ἀσιτίᾳ, ἢ αὖ πάλιν πιθήκῳ

ΡΣ ΣΟ ΤΣ Στὴν τ: is
Boat ¥ hh

Lester iskaieiuna\da tine. TORT RTT ATEN
CLE Cis eT OEE AEE OS LSS Hing wearer ate

MAA MTTES EEL

[SASL TT PT AES Re

MEENA OLE OP IU DCTS SAIS
ifs SLE, pate
SSSI ΤΟΣ

Ries DL Lei ted SS ET SOPOT
PUREE COLES
ae ae a

ir PSA AAS Κα aire foe he dane
PEE ORIEL
RSS far
ote -

1 * t ¢ -
: κατὰ τὸ ἢ ἄνω. ® βόες ws MSS omit. | : : : +3
ἡ ὡς 8 ὅτε ᾿ himself by lying quiet and abstaining from food, or
: ἐάσας: ee eae ; | 4 alternatively he catches a monkey and eats some of |
ἐδει" ὁ αὐτὸς λέγει ποιητὴς ταῦτα. :
332 . | 8 εὐθηρία ἑτέρου.

333

Resa penta

CASES EY é
NASI ein alec es

SO ee RS eA ene at ες ες
ΠΟ ΤΣ
Sree nasi

AELIAN

Α A “--
περιτυχὼν καὶ τούτου φαγὼν κενοῦται τὴν γαστέρα.

ταῖς ἐκείνου λάπάξας σαρξίν. ἦν δὲ ἄρα δίκαιος
ὁ λέων καὶ οἷος |
ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπαμύνασθαι, ὅτε τις πρότερος } χαλεπήνῃ.
τῷ γοῦν ἐπιόντι ἀνθίσταται {καὶ τὴν ἀλκαίαν
ἐπισείων καὶ ἑλίττων κατὰ τῶν πλευρῶν εἶτα
ἐγείρει ἑαυτὸν ὥσπερ οὖν ὑποθήγων μύωπι. τόν
γε μὴν βαλόντα μέν, οὐ τυχόντα δὲ τῇ ἴσῃ ἀμυνού-
μενος 8 φοβεῖ μέν, λυπεῖ δὲ οὐδὲ ἕν. ἡμερωθείς
γε μὴν ἐξέτι νεαροῦ πραότατός ἐστι καὶ ἐντυχεῖν
ἡδύς, καὶ ἔστι φιλοπαίστης, καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι οὖν
ὑπομένει πραόνως τῷ τροφεῖ χαριζόμενος. “Avvwy
γοῦν λέοντα εἶχε σκευαγωγόν, καὶ Βερενίκῃ λέων
πρᾶος συνῆν, τῶν κομμωτῶν ἃ διαφέρων οὐδὲ ἕν.
ἐφαίδρυνε γοῦν τῇ γλώττῃ ὃ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς,
καὶ τὰς ῥυτίδας ἐλέαινε, καὶ ἦν ὁμοτράπεζος,
πράως τε καὶ εὐτάκτως ἐσθίων καὶ ἀνθρωπικῶς.
«(καὶ)» 5 "Ovduapyos δὲ ὁ Κατάνης τύραννος καὶ 6
Κλεομένους υἱὸς συσσίτους εἶχον λέοντας.

40. Εὐωδίας τινὸς θαυμαστῆς τὴν πάρδαλιν
μετειληχέναι φασίν, ἡμῖν μὲν ἀπορρήτου, αὐτὴ δὲ
οἷδε τὸ πλεονέκτημα τὸ οἰκεῖον, καὶ μέντοι καὶ
τὰ ἄλλα ζῷα συνεπίσταται τοῦτο ἐκείνῃ, καὶ

2 «καί add. Schn.
& Pierson: κομμώντων.

6 <xat> add. H.

1 πρότερον.
3 ἀμυνόμενος.
° γλώττῃ ἡσυχῆ.

α Hanno, Carthaginian general, 3rd cent. B.c. Cp. Plut.
Mor. 799 E.

334

ON ANIMALS, V. 39-40

it, voiding and emptying his belly by means of its
flesh.
The Lion is after all upright and one to

‘ defend himself against the man who should assail
him first ’ [Hom. J. 24. 369; Od. 16. 12].

Thus, he faces his attacker and by lashing with his
tail and winding it about his flanks rouses himself as
though he were stimulating himself with a spur.
And if a man shoot at him but miss him, he will

defend himself by a fair return: he will scare the
man but do him no harm. If he has been domesti-

cated since the time when he was a cub, he is ex- The Lion
f ame

tremely gentle and agreeable to meet, and is fond ὁ
play, and will submit with good temper to any treat-
ment to please his keeper. For instance, Hanno®
kept a Lion to carry his baggage; a tame Lion was
the companion of Berenice ὃ and was no different
from her tiring-slaves: for example, it would softly”
wash her face with its tongue and smooth away her
wrinkles; it would share her table and eat in a
sober, orderly fashion just like a man. And Ono-
marchus, the Tyrant of Catana, and the son of
Cleomenes 5 both had Lions with them as table-.
companions. .

40. They say that the Leopard has a marvellous The Leopard.

fragrance about it. To us it is imperceptible, though
the Leopard is aware of the advantage it possesses, and
other animals besides share with it this knowledge.

ὃ Which of the various queens named Berenice is here
referred to, is uncertain; if the queen of Ptolemy III, she
lived ¢. 273~226 B.c. :
¢ Nothing more is known of these persons.

335

Sree ae Πα

SETI

Up anne

FP Eh aL INE COETT

PLE

PES OT

CEC an eee

ἘΣΣΙ ΥΣΟΣΣΞΕΣΩΣΕ

LORS SESE Cs a ae
seh
Selecioboivtasidristc,

eB
ESS IESE SEITEN SPELT ESAS LEO UNISON

Faas
LEELA ARS
ROWAN ES

WeBPAUD ERE
Shae
Lf SPITE IDOE

SSE ESTS IE SER NILE LOLOL SELES ELL ELIE LIE SEDER A TS

RAST
pista ARES 61180

BaROI SAPS Efs
PTE EATT EO EE

UNE BOND STL N PEPER CLINT ESS LIT SSO APIED ALE

AELIAN

ey 7? ? ε 1 4 : , »-»Ἢ e ᾽ὔ ὃ
ἁλίσκεταί οἱ! τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. ἡ πάρδαλις
΄“᾿ ? Ly \ ξ 7 “aA λό me
τροφῆς δεομένη ἑαυτὴν ὑποκρύπτει ἢ λόχμῃ πολλῇ
n 3 > ay
ἢ φυλλάδι βαθείᾳ, καὶ ἐντυχεῖν ἐστιν ἀφανής.
“ “- a 4 :
μόνον δὲ ἀναπνεῖ. οὐκοῦν ot veBpot καὶ <atS2
a ? \ ‘ ~
δορκάδες καὶ ot αἶγες οἱ ἄγριοι 8 Kal τὰ τοιαῦτα
“᾿ if ~
τῶν ζῴων ὡς ὑπό τινος tvyyos τῆς εὐωδίας
3 ,. ξ \ 2 “
ἕλκεται, καὶ γίνεται πλησίον’ ἡ δὲ ἐκπηδᾷ καὶ

ἔχει τὸ θήραμα.

41. ἸΠυνθάνομαι τῶν ζῴων τὰ μηρυκάξζοντα
τρεῖς ἔχειν κοιλίας, καὶ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἀκούω
κεκρύφαλον ἐχῖνον ἤνυστρον. σηπίαι δὲ καὶ τευθί-
des δύο νέμονται προβοσκίσιν' οὐ γάρ To!
χεῖρον οὕτως ὀνομάσαι καὶ ἐκ τῆς χρείας καὶ ἐκ
τοῦ σχήματος ἐπαρθέντα. καὶ ὅταν ἢ χειμέρια
καὶ κλύδων τεταραγμένος, ai δὲ τῶν πετρῶν
λαμβάνονται ταῖς αὐταῖς προβολαῖς, καὶ ἔχονται
ὡς ἀγκύραις πάνυ ἐγκρατῶς, καὶ ἄσειστοί τε καὶ
ἄκλυστοι μένουσιν' εἶτα εἰ γένοιτο ὑπεύδια,
ἀπολύουσί τε ἕαυτὰς καὶ ἐλευθεροῦσι, καὶ νέουσι
πάλιν, εἰδυῖαι μάθημα οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον, χειμῶ-
νος φυγὴν καὶ ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων σωτηρίαν.

42. Kt σοι βουλομένῳ μαθεῖν ἐστι μελιττῶν
ὀνόματα, οὐκ ἂν βασκήναιμι εἰπεῖν ὅσα πέπυσμαι.
ἡγεμόνες καλοῦνταί τινες καὶ ἄλλαι σειρῆνες καὶ
ἐργοφόροι τινὲς καὶ ἕτεραι πλάστιδες. Νίκανδρος
δὲ fT εὐφορεῖν ἡ ὃ τοὺς κηφῆνάς φησι. περὶ δὲ τὴν

.ι : 3
1 ἐκείνῃ. . . of] τῇ παρδάλει καὶ ἁλίσκεται ἐκείνῃ.

2 <at> add. H. 3 αἱ αἶγες ai ἄγριαι.
paca > ὑδροφόροι H.

6. ἀφορεῖν Post, ὑδροφορεῖν Reiske, H, εὐπορεῖν OSchn.
336

ON ANIMALS, V. 40-42

and the Leopard catches them in the following |
manner. When the Leopard needs food it conceals
itself in a dense thicket or in deep foliage and is in-
visible; it only breathes. And so fawns and gazelles
and wild goats and suchlike animals are drawn by the
spell, as it were, of its fragrance and come close up.
Whereat the Leopard springs out and seizes its prey.

41. I learn that ruminants have three ¢ stomachs, Ruminants
and their names, I gather, are κεκρύφαλον (the second 2n4 their
stomach, reticulum), ἐχῖνος (the third stomach, many-
plies), and ἤνυστρον (the fourth stomach, abomasum).

Cuttle-fish and Squids feed themselves with two cuttle-fsh
‘ probosces.’ (There is no harm in so styling them : 224 ther
their use and their form induce one to do'so.) And
in stormy weather when there is broken surf, these
creatures grip the rocks with their tentacles and cling
fast as with anchors, and there they stay, safe from
shock and sheltered from the waves. Later, when
it grows calm, they let themselves go and are free
again to swim about, having learnt what is by no
means to be despised, viz., how to avoid a storm and
to escape from danger. |

42. If it is your wish to learn the names of Bees, Bees, their
I would not grudge you the knowledge that I have Y8"0us
acquired. Some are called ‘captains,’ others
‘ sirens,’ ® some again ‘ workers,’ and others ‘ moul-

ders.’ And Nicander says [ fr. 93] that the Drones —

@ Cp. Arist. HA 507 b 1; Ael. has omitted to mention the
κοιλία μεγάλη, big stomach or paunch. "

ὃ Thompson on Arist. HA 623 b 11 takes ‘siren’ to be
‘some species of the solitary wasp, e.g. Humenes, Synagris,
ete.’ ys
337

VOL. I. N

EASES

CETERA

BERL LEN TIO Y ELLE IG SAR PES IL ΟΡ Δ ELOISE LEED ELE GLAS RS REE

ἀρ ee

cern

ei ΝΘ Siren (ee

BUOYS AIS CLASSI τ SEES CCL τε OEY PULUET EECCA

τ a fs
σύντα oH ae RA MN SSL TAST IAA PO Are

SPE oe I PS RE oS AS τ τ οΥ 2
tei a ἜΤΟΣ

ΡΟ ΟΣ ES ERECT SIE

ἐγ AA EAA LAN ASEAN GALI LA ICA ACA IEREEA ERROR PT ELEC EA EAE AISA θα HELLO ETRE

PLLA LOSES EPPSURSLINVI CS

_ AELIAN

- ᾽ ~ 3; ᾽; τ aT \
τῶν Καππαδόκων γῆν ἄνευ κηρίων τὸ μέλι τὰς

ς Ἁ \ > “~
μελίττας ἐργάζεσθαί φασι, παχὺ δὲ εἶναι τοῦτο
κατὰ τὸ ἔλαιον λόγος ἔχει. ἐν Ἰραπεζοῦντι δὲ τῇ
τς κι Ὁ - f ;
Ποντικῇ ἐκ τῆς πύξου γίνεσθαι μέλι πέπυσμαι,
βαρὺ δὲ τὴν ὀσμὴν τοῦτο εἶναι, καὶ ποιεῖν μὲν
4 e ? 3}; Ἃ ὃ 4 3 Xr a “4
τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας ἔκφρονας, τοὺς δὲ ἐπιλήπτους és

ὑγίειαν ἐπανάγειν αὖθις. ἐν Μηδίᾳ δὲ ἀποστάξειν

τῶν δένδρων ἀκούω μέλι, ὡς Ἐὐριπίδης 1 ἐν τῷ
Κιθαιρῶνί φησιν ἐκ τῶν κλάδων γλυκείας σταγόνας
3 “" ,» ‘ \ 3 , Ζλ 3 ~
ἀπορρεῖν. γίνεσθαι δὲ καὶ ἐν Θράκῃ μέλι ἐκ τῶν
“~ 3} 3 \ ? ᾿ , > ,
φυτῶν ἤκουσα. ἐν δὲ Μυκόνῳ μέλιττα οὐ γίνεται,

ἀλλὰ καὶ {φἔξωθεν 5 κομισθεῖσα ἀποθνήσκει.

’ ; \ ~
43. Περὶ τὸν Ὕπανιν ποταμὸν γίνεσθαι τὸ ζῷον
4 ? Ὁ λ [4 ἾἌ “λ
τὸ μονήμερον οὕτω καλούμενον ᾿Αριστοτέλης
“~ 4 ΠΟ ΚΦ “~
φησί, τικτόμενον μὲν ἅμα τῷ KvEeder,® ἀποθνῆσκον

4 3 A Ἁ ey 7] 7
δὲ ἐπὶ δυσμὰς ἡλίου τρεπομένου.

44, "Eyes δὲ {τὸ δῆγμα ἡ σηπία ἰῶδες καὶ
\ 20 ἢ > A ἜΣ ἥν. ose
τοὺς ὀδόντας ἰσχυρῶς ὑπολανθάνοντας. ἦν δὲ
ἄρα δηκτικὸν καὶ <d6>° ὀσμύλος καὶ 6 πολύπους"
᾿ ΄ . ἃ ϑ f , ~ Oh
καὶ δάκοι μὲν av οὗτος σηπίας βιαιότερον, τοῦ δὲ
7 A i a.
ἰοῦ μεθίησιν ἥττου.
ὁ Hid. ταῖς Βάκχαις...

κυέφᾳ.

{τόδ add. H.

2 <elwbev> add. H.

338,

ON ANIMALS, V. 42-44

.. . And they say that all over Cappadocia the Bees
produce honey without combs, and the story goes Honey of
that it is thick like oil. I am informed that at 7a7loxs
Trapezus in Pontus honey is obtained from box-trees,

but that it has a heavy scent and drives healthy
people out of their senses, but restores the frenzied

to health. I learn that in Media® honey drips from

the trees, just as Euripides [Bacc. 714] says that on
Cithaeron sweet drops flow from the boughs. In
Thrace too I have heard that honey is produced from
plants. On Myconus? there are no bees, and more-

over if imported from outside they die. |

43. Aristotle says [HA 552 Ὁ 20] that on the banks the
of the river Hypanis 5 there occurs a creature that ῬΑ σ᾽
goes by the name of ‘ day-fly,’ ὁ because it is born in
the morning twilight and dies when the sun begins
to set. :

44, The Cuttle-fish has a poisonous bite and teeth The
that are concealed very deep within. It seems also 7°"
that the Osmylus¢ and the Octopus are given to
biting. And the Octopus has a more powerful bite
than the Cuttle-fish, although it emits. less poison.

Ael. is copying [Arist.] Mir. 831 b 26 where the MSS read
Λυδίᾳ. ᾿ ἊΝ
> One of the Cyclades. ° o
¢ Mod. Boug. aa fee he
4 *‘ A May-fly, probably . .. the large Ephemera longicauda .
Oliv.’ (Thompson on Arist. loc. cit.).
6 Α kind of octopus with an unpleasant musky smell:
Eledone moschata’ (Thompson, Gk. fishes). ~ |

i <6) add. A ᾿ ᾿ Ε
339.

ΡΥ ΡΟΝ
TEMA x

eee

EAD Pe PTR
EEE, eee
Pant peepee on ee τς

ra πὰ τῇ ΠΕΡ ΩΣ ΣΙ:

EM RE SIPEG RIEL

Phecetrivenniontenr tects zat or esol sites
aaacinsetotesainictnetetiteos a!

soreness

ease ἘΣΣΙ ΤΙΣ tf
ESPNU NTE
ie

AELIAN

45. Tov σῦν τὸν ἄγριόν φασι μὴ πρότερον ἐπί
‘4 4 Ἅ \ / € ~
τινα φέρεσθαι πρὶν ἢ τοὺς χαυλιόδοντας ὑποθῆξαι:
μαρτυρεῖ δὲ ἄρα καὶ “Ὅμηρος τοῦτο λέγων

, \ Ὁ ‘ aA ,
θήξας λευκὸν ὀδόντα μετὰ γναμπτῆσι γένυσσιν..

παχύνεσθαι δὲ τὸν σῦν ἀκούω μάλιστα μὴ λούμε-
νον, ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ διατρίβοντά τε καὶ
στρεφόμενον καὶ πίνοντα ὕδωρ τεθολωμένον, καὶ
ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ στέγῃ σκοτωδεστέρᾳ χαίροντα καὶ
τροφαῖς ὅσαι φυσωδέστεραί τέ εἰσι καὶ ὑποπλῆσαι
δύνανται. καὶ Ὅμηρος δὲ ἔοικε ὑποδηλοῦν ταῦτα.
περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ καλινδεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς 5. καὶ
φιληδεῖν τοῖς ῥυπαρωτέροις τέλμασι.. .3 λέγων
σύες χαμαιευνάδες" ὅτι δὲ τῷ τεθολωμένῳ ὕδατι
πιαίνονται ... .4 φησὶ
ἔλαν ὕδωρ |
πίνουσαι, τά θ᾽ ὕεσσι τρέφει τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφήν.

wd 4 7 “ i 7 Ἁ 4 3 7
ὅτι δὲ χαίρουσι TH σκότῳ διὰ τούτων ἐλέγχει
, Ὁ ᾿ ~ κὰ i fF. ὃ 3 3 ~
πέτρῃ ὕπο yAaduph εὗδον Bopéw ὑπ᾽ ἰωγῇ.

4 A i. > ἢ “~ “A Ὡ ,ὔ
τὸ δὲ φυσῶδες αἰνίττεται τῆς τροφῆς ὅταν λέγῃ
βάλανον μενοεικέα ἐσθίειν αὐτάς. εἰδὼς δὲ ἄρα
Ὅμηρος ὡς καὶ ἰσχναίνεται καὶ ἐπιτρίβει τὰ κρέα
ὗς ὁρῶν τὸν θῆλυν, πεποίηκε τοὺς ἄρρενας ἰδίᾳ

᾽ 4 \ é Ὁ ἡ 2 “ἢ
καθεύδοντας καὶ τὰς θηλείας ἰδίᾳ. ἐν Σαλαμῖνι
δὲ χλωροῦ σίτου καὶ ληίου κομῶντος ἐὰν σῦς

1 Aovdpevov. 8 αὐτόν.
3. Lacuna. 4 Lacuna.

* The chief city in Cyprus. Eustathius on Hom. Od. 18. 29
says that there was a law in Cyprus permitting landowners to
remove the teeth of any pig that they found foraging among

340 |

Mtoe tEHa ES

LLAMAS SEE

ΕΣ

Soph St

Deere

ON ANIMALS, V. 4s

45. They say that the Wild Boar does not attack The wild
a man until he has whetted his tusks. And Homer °°"

testifies to this when he says [1]. 11. 416]

‘Having whetted the white tusk between his
curved jaws.’ .

And I learn that the Boar fattens himself chiefly
by not washing but spending his time wallowing in
the mud, drinking the turbid water, and revelling in
the quiet and the darkness of his lair and in all the
more inflating foods that can fillhim up. And Homer
appears to imply as much, for touching their wallow-
ing and their fondness for the more muddy ponds. . .
when he says [Od. 10. 243] ‘ hogs that make their
bed upon the ground.’ And that they fatten them-_
selves upon turbid water . . . he says [Od. 13. 409]

‘ drinking black water, which fosters the rich fat on
swine.’

And that they delight in darkness he proves in the
following words [Od. 14. 533] : ἊΝ

‘ They slumbered beneath a hollow rock under
shelter from Boreas.’

And he hints at the inflating quality of their food
when he says [Od. 13. 409] that they eat ‘ the satisfy-
ing acorn.’ Now Homer knowing that the Boar
grows thin and that his flesh wastes if he looks at the
Sow, has described [Od. 14. 13] the Boars as sleeping
in one place and the Sows in another. In Salamis 4
if a Sow breaks in and grazes the corn when green or

their crops. So Irus threatens to knock out the teeth of
Odysseus, disguised and unknown, whom he regards as an
interloper in the palace in Ithaca.

341

AELIAN .

3 : vos 1 > / / 3 ‘ yy ; λ f

ἐμπεσοῦσα + ἀποκείρῃ, νόμος ἐστὶ Σαλαμινίων
‘ 3 “- ᾿ ~ >

τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐκτρίβειν αὐτῆς. καὶ τοῦτο εἶναι τὸ

παρ᾽ Ὅμήρῳ συὸς ληιβοτείρης φασίν. οἱ δὲ

ln ~ νι es
ἑτέρως νοοῦσι, καὶ λέγουσι χλωροῦ σίτου τὴν dp

΄“- 2 fd
γευσαμένην ἀσθενεῖς ἔχειν τοὺς ὀδόντας .

46. "ἔδωκε δὲ ἄρα ἡ φύσις ταῖς κυσὶ τραυμά-
3 / , 3 \ Ld 3 4
τῶν ἀντίπαλον πόαν. εἰ δὲ ἕλμινθες αὐτὰς λυ-
- Sete! : 7 ,ὔ
motev,” τοῦ σίτου τὸ καλούμενον λήιον ἐσθίουσαι
ἐκκρίνουσιν αὖτάς. λέγονται δὲ καὶ ὅταν δέωνται
τὴν γαστέρα ἑκατέραν κενῶσαι πόαν τινὰ ἐσθίειν,
~ » 3 : : } nw
καὶ TO μέν τι τῆς τροφῆς τὸ ἐπιπολάζον ἀνεμεῖν,

:- \ 4 7 3 ? a) A 5
τὰ δὲ περιττὰ κάτωθεν ἐκκρίνεσθαι αὐταῖς φασιν.

ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τὸ συρμαΐζειν Αἰγύπτιοι λέγονται
μαθεῖν. πέρδικες δὲ 85 καὶ πελαργοὶ τρωθέντες
καὶ φάτται τὴν ὀρίγανον, ὡς λόγος, διατρώγουσιν,
εἶτα τοῖς τραύμασιν ἐντιθέντες ἀκοῦνται τὸ σῶμα
καὶ μέντοι (καὶ) τῆς ἀνθρώπων ἰατρικῆς δέονται
οὐδὲ ἕν. :

41. Οὐ δεήσομαι ἐνταῦθα μάρτυρος πρεσβυτέ-

ON ANIMALS, V. 45-47

a field of waving corn, there is a law of the Sala-

minians that her teeth must be destroyed. And

they say that the passage in Homer [Od. 18. 29] about
‘a sow that consumes the crops’ refers to this.
Others take a different view and assert that when a
Sow has tasted green corn its teeth are weakened.

46. It would appear that Nature has provided
grass as a remedy for the wounds of Dogs. And if
they are troubled with worms they get rid of them
by eating “ standing ’ corn, as it is called. And when
they need to empty both stomachs they are said to
eat some grass, and as much of their food as remains
undigested they vomit up, while the remainder is
excreted. It is from this source that the Egyptians
are said to have learnt the practice of taking purges.

But Partridges, Storks, and Ring-doves, when

wounded are said to chew marjoram and then to
spread it on their wounds and cure their body; and
they have no need at all of man’s healing art.

47. In this matter I shall have no need of any
witness from antiquity but shall narrate what I

myself have seen and know. |
A man captured a Lizard of the excessively green A Lizard,

é 2 blinded,
and unusually large species, and with a point made regains its

of bronze he pierced and blinded the Lizard. And sight
after boring some very fine holes in a newly fashioned
earthenware vessel so as to admit the air, but small
enough to prevent the creature from escaping, he

pov, ἃ δὲ αὐτὸς ἔγνων ἐρῶ 5 σαῦρον τῶν χλωρῶν
So τ᾿ ΄ὕ a. / ὃ % το τν σῶς AX \

μὲν ὑπεράγαν, adpotépwv δὲ τὴν ἕξιν συλλαβὼν
Ἁ ‘ : ὔ we ᾿

ἀνὴρ καὶ κέντρῳ πεποιημένῳ χαλκοῦ πείρας ὃ

εἶτα τυφλώσας τὸν σαῦρον καὶ χύτραν κεραμέαν

τῶν νεωστὶ εἰργασμένων διατρήσας πάνυ λεπταῖς

A - f : “-
ὁπαῖς, ὡς μὴ εἴργειν μὲν τὸ πνεῦμα, οὐ μὴν
᾿ ᾿ ; “a ld ~~
ἐκείνῳ παρασχεῖν ἔκδυσιν, καὶ γῆν ἐγχέας Kal |
aie * The expression is used loosely’ to denote the stomach

1. Barnes s πεσοῦσα. ΝΠ ΕΝ - proper and the intestines, for the dog has but one stomach.
3 χε. . | —~ ἊΝ - a $$ es
ὁ ζκαί) αὐᾶ. He 3 3° BP whe, τοὺς ee ἡ τ δ, λέγω. δ᾽ διείρας.

342. . i ὁ 343

AELIAN |

μάλα ἔνδροσον, καὶ τὸ θηρίον ἐμβαλὼν καὶ πόαν
τινὰ ἧς οὐκ εἶπε τὸ ὄνομα καὶ δακτύλιον σιδήρου 2
πεποιημένον καὶ ἔχοντα λίθον Taydrnv, ᾧπερ οὖν
ἐνείργαστο γλύμμα σαῦρος, τὴν μὲν χύτραν
ἐπηλύγασεν, ἐννέα ἐμπλάσας σημεῖα, ὧν ἀφήρει
σφραγῖδαϑ ἐφ᾽ ἡμέρας ἐννέα. καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ
πάσαις. ἀφανίσας ἀνοίγει τὸ σκεῦος, καὶ ἔγωγε
εἶδον. τὸν σαῦρον ἐμβλέποντα, καὶ εὐωποτάτους 5
τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοὺς τέως πεπηρωμένους εἶχε.
καὶ τὸν μέν, ἔνθεν ἠρέθη, ἐνταῦθα ἀπελύσαμεν,
δακτύλιον δὲ ἐκεῖνον ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ταῦτα δράσας
ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀγαθὸν ἔφασκεν εἶναι. |

48. "Euol δὲ αἴσχιστον δοκεῖ, ὦ ἄνθρωποι,
φιλίαν μὲν τοῖς ζῴοις πρὸς ἄλληλα εἶναι, μὴ
μόνοις τοῖς συννόμοις αὐτῶν μηδὲ μὴν τοῖς ὅμογε-
σιν, ἤδη δὲ Kal Tol δὲ 4 4
veow, ἤδη δὲ Kal τοῖς μηδὲν προσήκουσί σφισι
κατὰ τὸ κοινὸν γένος. ταῖς γοῦν αἰξὶν αἱ οἷς
φίλιαι, περιστερᾷ δὲ πρὸς τρυγόνα φιλία, φίλα
δὲ ἀλλήλοις 8 νοοῦσι φάτται τε καὶ πέρδικες,
ἀλκυόνα δὲ καὶ κηρύλον ποθοῦντε ἀλλήλω πάλαι
ἴσμεν, κορώνην τε ἐρῳδιῷ φίλα νοεῖν καὶ λάρον
τῷ καλουμένῳ κολοιῷ καὶ ixtivw ἅρπην. πολε-
μοῦσι δὲ αἰώνιον πόλεμον καὶ ἄσπονδον ὡς εἰπεῖν
κορῶναί τε καὶ γλαῦκες" πολέμιοι δὲ ἄρα εἰσὶν
ἰκτῖνός τε καὶ κόραξ, καὶ πυραλλὶς πρὸς τρυγόνα,
καὶ βρένθος καὶ Adpos,? πάλιν τε ὃ χλωρεὺς πρὸς

: ἔκδυσιν te πόαν] «ἔκδυσιν, τὸ θηρίον ἐμβαλὼν καὶ γῆν
ὑποχέας καὶ μ. ἐ. καὶ πόαν.
: Ges : σιδηροῦν. <ptav> odp.? H.
πάσαις THY ἐννάτην. εὐωποτέρους.
| περιστερὰ... φίλη.

οὐ

ay δι

8 ro,

344

esi ere HEL LA EEY

SSA IG Netty

πρϑομμεδυρλενεν την eRc UN

LO ee

eyes

τες
su
ae

ON ANIMALS, V. 47-48

heaped some very moist earth into it and put the
Lizard inside together with a certain herb, of which
he did not divulge the name, and an iron ring with
a bezel of lignite engraved with the figure of a lizard.
After stamping nine seals upon the vessel he then
covered it up, removing one seal daily for nine days.
And when he had destroyed the last seal of all he
opened the vessel, and I myself saw the Lizard
having its sight and its eyes, which till then had been
blinded, seeing perfectly well. And we released the
Lizard on the spot where it had been captured, and
the man who had done these things asserted that that
ring of his was good for the eyes..

48, It fills me with shame, you human beings, to
think of the friendly relations that subsist between
animals, not only those that feed together nor even
those of the same species, but even between those
that have no connexion through a common origin.
For instance, Sheep are friends with Goats; there is
friendship between Pigeon and Turtle-dove; Ring-
doves and Partridges entertain friendly feelings to-
wards one another; we have long known that the
Halcyon and the Cery] desire each other; that the
Crow is friendly disposed towards the Heron, and the
Sea-mew towards the Little Cormorant, as it is called,
and the Shearwater towards the Kite. But there is

war everlasting and without truce, so to say, between

Crows and Owls. Enemies too are the Kite and the
Raven, the Pyrallis and the Turtle-dove, the Bren-
thus 5 and the Sea-mew, and again the Greenfinch(?)

@ Unknown water-bird. Perh. the ‘ Avocet,’ Gossen ὃ 187.

ae eee ee ἰ-,-ς----ὕὕ. Ὁ
8 εἰς ἀλλήλους. 9. Ges: πάγρος.

345

Animal

friendships

and enmities

'χελιδὼν ἐκβάλλει χελιδόνα νεκράν.

remy wes acetates yt eA Ue ton fold ar nN de cre ii rind acs fod eee

AELIAN

τρυγόνα, Kal αἰγυπιοὶ καὶ ἀετοί, καὶ κύκνοι καὶ
δράκοντες, καὶ πρὸς βουβαλίδας καὶ ταύρους 1
λέ v A 2 δὲ 2 "λέ, \ ὃ m4

govres. ἔχθιστα 5 δὲ ἄρα ἐλέφας καὶ δράκων

3 ι \ 3 , ¢ > 7 e ot νκν se
VY, Καὶ TPOS ἀσπίδα O ὑχνευμῶν, ὁ δὲ αἴγιθος Ττῳ.-

ὄνῳ: ὃ μὲν γὰρ ὠγκήσατο, ῥήγνυται δὲ τῷ
αἰγίθῳ τὰ Bd, καὶ οἱ νεοττοὶ ἐκπίπτουσιν ἀτελεῖς"

ΝΟ - “- “3 » aA
6 δὲ τιμωρῶν τοῖς τέκνοις ἐπυπηδᾷ τῶν ὄνων τοῖς
4 4 3 f > f ~ 4 3 f i
ἕλκεσι, καὶ ἐσθίει αὐτά. μισεῖ δὲ ἀλώπηξ κίρκον
καὶ ταῦρος κόρακα, καὶ ὁ ἄνθος ὃ τὸν ἵππον.
χρὴ δὲ εἰδέναι τὸν πεπαιδευμένον καὶ μηδὲν

ὔ 3 4 [γέ 4 \ ,ὔ ,

μάτην ἀκούοντα ὅτι καὶ δελφὶς φαλλαίνῃ διάφορος,
λάβρακές γε μὴν κεστρεῦσι, μύραιναι δὲ γόγγροις,
καὶ ἄλλα ἄλλοις.

49. Αἱ ἄρκτοι τῶν θηρατῶν τοὺς ἐς ὁ στόμα
‘ fo >
πεσόντας καὶ TO πνεῦμα ἐς ἑαυτοὺς ὥσαντας

4
dodpnodpevat ws νεκροῦυς παραλιμπάνουσι, καὶ

“ “Ἅ 4 - A / “σ᾿
δοκεῖ τοῦτο τὸ ζῷον νεκρὸν βδελύττεσθαι. μισοῦσι

\ \ ε 7 ᾿ > ᾿ e A , \
δὲ καὶ of μύες τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν διαίταις Kat

ὃ - 3 θ ? : 4 , 4 5
καταδρομαῖς ἀποθανόντας, Kal μέντοι <KaL>
6. μύρμηκες δέ,
\ 3 f > “- “- \ ᾽
καὶ ἐκείνοις ἐκφορᾶς νεκρῶν μέλειν καὶ καθαίρειν
τοὺς σφετέρους χηραμοὺς ἡ σοφωτάτη φύσις
ἔδωκεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἴδιον τῶν ἀλόγων, τὰ
ὁμογενῆ τε καὶ ὁμοφυᾶ τεθνεῶτα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν
? 4 Caan) 7 4 2 7 7
ἀποφέρειν θᾶττον. λέγουσι δὲ Αἰθιόπων λόγοι
αἱμυλίας τε καὶ κόμπου “Ἑλληνικοῦ ἄγευστοι ὅτι
Pla 37 7) 3Ὰ 2 A . 3 4
dpa ἐλέφαντα θεασάμενος ἐλέφας νεκρὸν οὐκ ἂν
παρέλθοι μὴ τῇ προβοσκίδι γῆν ἀρυσάμενος Καὶ

2 ἔχθιστον.

1 καὶ ταύρους del. H (1876).
8 Ges: ἄνθιος. 4 ἐπί Schn.

346

segedvorren

SLRS SAORI OED ON UE SGU SL ἕο SE ESE

ON ANIMALS, V. 48-49

and the Turtle-dove, the Aegypius and the Eagle,
Swans and Water-snakes(?),2 and Lions are the
enemies of Antelopes and Bulls. The bitterest hate
exists between the Elephant and the Python,? be-
tween the Asp and the Ichneumon, between the Blue
Tit and the Ass, for directly the Ass brays the Blue

Tit’s eggs are smashed and the young ones are spilt, -

still imperfect. And so to avenge its offspring the

Blue Tit leaps upon the Ass’s sore places and feeds
on them. The Fox detests a Falcon and the Bull a
Raven, and the Buff-backed Heron the Horse. And
an educated man who attends to what he hears
should know that the Dolphin is at feud with the

Whale, the Basse too with the Mullet, and the Moray |

with the Conger Eel, and so on. 3

49, When Bears have sniffed at hunters who have Animals’

fallen on their face and knocked the breath out of
themselves, they leave them for dead, and it seems
that these creatures are disgusted by a dead body.
Mice also hate those that die in their holes and lurking-
places; and a Swallow too ejects a dead Swallow
from its nest.
wisdom of Nature, are careful to carry away dead
bodies and to cleanse their nests, for it is character-
istic of brute beasts that, when one of their own
species and kind has died, they speedily remove it
out of sight. And Ethiopian histories, which are

untainted by the pretentious plausibility of the

Greeks, tell us that if one Elephant sees another
lying dead, it will not pass by without drawing up

α See Arist. HA 602 Ὁ 25. . δ᾽ Lit. ‘ dragon.’

6 : 1 4 ir :
' VEKPQAV καὶ με LTT Qt.

347

δ ¢xal> add. H.

Ants also, thanks to the supreme

dislike of
dead bodies

The
Elephant
and its dead

Sn ea aera eS τ TN ENTER SB OLR ΝΜ ΜΝ ΩΝΝΝΩ SR

AELIAN

ἐπιβαλών, ὡς ὁσίαν τινὰ ἀπόρρητον ὑπὲρ τῆς
φύσεως τῆς κοινῆς ἐκτελῶν-Σ εἶναι γὰρ τὸ μὴ
δρᾶσαι τοῦτο ἐναγές. ἀπόχρη δέ οἱ καὶ κλάδον
ἐπιβαλεῖν, καὶ ἄπεισι τὸ κοινὸν ἁπάντων τέλος
μὴ ἀτιμάσας. ἀφῖκται δὲ λόγος ἐς ἡμᾶς καὶ
ἐκεῖνος. ὅταν ἐλέφαντες ἀποθνήσκωσιν ἐκ τραυ-
μάτων ἢ βληθέντες ἐν πολέμῳ ἢ ἐν θήρᾳ παθόντες
τοῦτο, τῆς πόας τῆς παρατυχούσης ἢ τῆς κόνεως
τῆς ἐν ποσὶν ἀνελόμενοι, ἐς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέ-
πουσι καὶ βάλλουσί τι τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ
φωνῇ τῇ σφετέρᾳ κινύρονταί τε καὶ ποτνιῶνται,
ὥσπερ οὖν τοὺς θεοὺς μαρτυρόμενοι ἐφ᾽ οἷς
ἐκδίκως τε καὶ ἐκνόμως ὑπομένουσιν.

ὅ0. Ἴδια δὲ ἄρα τῶν ζῴων καὶ ταύτῃ 5 δήπου
καταγνῶναι πάρεστι. τοὺς γοῦν ὄρνεις τοὺς
ἠθάδας καὶ τοὺς ἐν ποσὶ τρεφομένους τε καὶ
ἐξεταξομένους ὁρῶμεν ἵππους καὶ ὄνους καὶ βοῦς
καὶ καμήλους θαρροῦντας" εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐλέφαντί που
πράῳ καὶ ἡμέρῳ συντρέφοιντο, οὗ δὲ οὐκ ὀρρωδοῦ-
ow, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ἔρχονται. ἤδη
de ἀλεκτρυόνες καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ νῶτα αὐτῶν ἀναπέτον-
ται. τοσοῦτον αὐτοῖς τοῦ θάρσους περίεστι καὶ
τοῦ ἀδεοῦς. ᾿πτοίαν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐντίθησι καὶ δέος
ἰσχυρὸν γαλῆ παραδραμοῦσα. καὶ μυκήσεων μὲν
καὶ ὀγκήσεων οὐ ποιοῦνται ὦραν, κρίξασαν δὲ
ἄρα μόνον πεφρίκασι τὴν προειρημένην. χηνῶν
δὲ Kae” κύκνων ἅ καὶ στρουθῶν τῶν μεγάλων ἢ
τι ἢ οὐδὲν φροντίζουσιν, ἱέρακα δὲ βραχύτατον ὃ
ὄντα ὀρρωδοῦσιν. 6 δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ᾷἄσας φοβεῖ

3 ~
1 ἐκτελῶν καὶ φεύγων ἄγος.

348

συ ee ea

PRS

Le EELS

LS SSS Sa ites eon nie ei

ON ANIMALS, V. 49-50

some earth with its trunk and casting it upon the
corpse, as though it were performing some sacred and
mysterious rite on behalf of their common nature;
and that to fail in this duty is to incur a curse. It is
enough for it even to cast a branch upon the body ;
and with due respect paid to the common end of all
things the Elephant goes on its way.

And there has reached us also the following story.
‘When Elephants are dying of wounds, stricken either
in battle or in hunting, they pick up any grass they
may find or some of the dust at their feet, and looking
upwards to the heaven, cast some of these objects in
that direction and wail and ery aloud in indignation
in their own language, as though they were calling
the gods to witness how unjustly and how wrongfully
they are suffering.

* 50 (i). By the following cases also, I think, one may
recognize traits peculiar to animals. For instance,

A dying

Elephant

Confidence
and fear in
Animals

we see domestic fowls that are reared at the feet, and _

have experience, of horses, asses, cows, or camels,
showing no fear of them. And if they are fed along
with, say, a tame and gentle elephant, they are not
afraid but even move about among those creatures.
And cockerels even fly up on to their backs, such are
their resulting courage and freedom from fear. But
they are fluttered and terrified if a marten runs by.
To the lowing of cattle or the braying of an ass they
pay no attention; but a marten has but to chatter
and they tremble. For geese, swans, and ostriches
they care little or nothing, but are in terror of a hawk
although it is very small. With its crowing a cock

me
3 γε Kal.

5 βραχύτερον. *

2 καῦτα.
4 Reiske: κυνῶν.

349

ERNST Seen

SSUES TPE SRS CSREES IESE CT SPORTS IAT CSN

AELIAN

‘ 7 ; > ᾿ οὶ \ , :
μὲν λέοντα, ἀναιρεῖ δὲ βασιλίσκον: οὐ μὴν φέρει 1
οὔτε αἰλούρους οὔτε ἰκτίνους. αἱ δὲ περιστεραὶ

> ~ ~ “~
ἀετῶν μὲν κλαγγὴν καὶ γυπῶν θαρροῦσι, ἘΠΕ

δὲ καὶ ἁλιαέτων οὐκέτι.

Ἢ δὲ ποίμνη 5 καὶ ὃ ἔριφος καὶ πώλιον πᾶν ἐπὶ
τὰς μητρῴας θηλὰς ἔ ἔρχεται γεννηθέντα παραχρῆμα,
καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῶν οὐθάτων σπῶντα ἐμπίπ' αται"
πολυπραγμονεῖ δὲ τὸ τεκὸν. οὐδὲ ἕν, ἀλλὰ ἕ ἕστηκεν.
ὕπτια δὲ. παραβάλλει τὰς θηλὰς τοῖς βρέφεσι. τὰ

σχιζόποδα πάντα, λύκοι καὶ κύνες Kal λέαιναι
καὶ παρδάλεις.

51. ΠΠολυφωνότατα δὲ τὰ ζῷα καὶ πολύφθογγα
ὡς ἂν εἴποις ἡ φύσις ἀπέφηνεν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ
τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. ὁ γοῦν Σικύθης ἄλλως φθέγγεται
καὶ ὁ ᾿Ινδὸς ἄλλως, καὶ ὁ Αἰθίοψ ἔχει. φωνὴν
συμφυᾶ * καὶ οἱ Σάκαι: φωνὴ δὲ “Ἑλλὰς ἄλλη, καὶ
᾿Ῥωμαία ἄλλη. οὕτω τοι καὶ τὰ ζῷα “ἄλλο ἄλλως
προΐεται τὸν συγγενῆ τῆς γλώττης. ἦχόν TE καὶ
ψόφον" τὸ μὲν γὰρ βρυχᾶται, “μυκᾶται δὲ ἄλλο,
καὶ χρεμέτισμα ἄλλου καὶ oyKnNots <aMov >, δ
ἄλλου βληχηθμός τε καὶ μηκασμός," καί τισι μὲν
ὠρυγμός, τισὶ δὲ ὑ αγμὸς φίλον, καὶ ἄλλῳ 7
dppaletv: κλαγγαὶ δὲ 8 καὶ ῥοῖζοι καὶ κριγμοὶ
καὶ ὠδαὶ καὶ μελῳδίαι. καὶ τραυλισμοὶ καὶ μυρία
ἕτερα δῶρα τῆς φύσεως ἴδια τῶν ζῴων ἄλλα
ἄλλων.

52. ᾿Ανὰ τὴν χώραν τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν. ἀσπίδες
φωλεύουσι τοῦ Νείλου πλησίον ἐπὶ τῆς ὄχθης

ἑκατέρας. καὶ τὸν μὲν ἄλλον χρόνον φιλοχωροῦσι.

1 οὐ φέρει μήν. 2 Abresch: λίμνη.

35°

PRLS τστ τον νς--------------....

ἘΞ

RMSE

SEIS SGI FEES a Cs RUT ee

Ὁ

eee TROT

SS $
Se
BX
RS
.

awe

ON ANIMALS, V. 50-52

scares a lion and is fatal to a basilisk, and yet it
cannot endure cats or kites. And pigeons are not -

_ afraid at the cry of eagles and vultures, but they are

at the cry of falcons and of sea-eagles.

(ii). The lamb, the kid, and every foal directly it is Animals
born goes for its dam’s teats and sucks the dugs until ror yeong
it is full, And the parent shows no concern but |
stands still. Whereas all animals with parted toes,
wolves, hounds, lions, leopards, lie down to give their

young suck.

51. Nature has made animals with an immense The various
variety of voice and of speech, as it were, even as she by animals”
has men. For instance, the Scythian speaks one
language, the Indian another; the Ethiopian has a
natural language, so too have the Sacae; the. lan-
guage of Greece and that of Rome are different.

And so it is with animals: each has a different way
of producing the tone and the sound natural to its
tongue. Thus, one roars, another lows, a third
whinnies, (another) brays, yet another baas and
bleats; while to some howling is customary, to others
barking, and to another snarling. Screaming,
whistling, hooting, singing, warbling, twittering,
and countless other gifts of Nature are peculiar to

different animals.

52. In the Egyptian countryside Asps have their Reptiles

oretell and

holes by the Nile on either bank. Most of the time avoid the
they stay round about their <lurking-places) and are tee of the

3 ἀνέφηνεν. 4 συμφυῆ.
5 ς «ἄλλου» add. Gow.
Noe καὶ eared, φθέγματα.
ᾧ ἄλλῳ. τε καί.

351

AELIAN

4 9 ~ ς 4 > .
καὶ ἀγαπῶσιν... .1, ὡς τὰς οἰκίας τὰς σφετέρας

οἱ ἄνθ . μέλλ =e τοῦ 0 ᾿
i ἄνθρωποι. μέλλοντος δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ κατὰ τὴν
ὥραν τὴν θέρειον 5

τὰ ἀπωτέρω τοῦ Νείλου χωρία, καὶ τοὺς ὄχθους
τοὺς ὑπερέχοντας ἐσέρπουσι, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὰ
σφῶν αὐτῶν ἔκγονα ἐπάγονται, δῶρον τοῦτο ἴδιον
λαχοῦσαι παρὰ τῆς φύσεως εἰδέναι ποταμοῦ
τοσούτου καὶ οὕτως ἐργατικοῦ τὴν ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος
ἐπιδημίαν, καὶ τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατάληψίν τε καὶ
λύμην φυλάττεσθαι. καὶ at χελῶναι δὲ καὶ οἱ
καρκίνοι καὶ ob κροκόδιλοι τὰ φὰ κατὰ τὴν ὥραν
τὴν αὐτὴν μετακομίζουσιν ἐς τὰ ἄβατα τῷ πο-
ταμῷ καὶ ἀνέφικτα: καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη λογίζονται
οἱ ἐντυγχάνοντες τοῖς τῶν προειρημένων φοῖς ὁ
Νεῖλος ἀνελθὼν ἐς πόσον ἐπαρδεύσει 4 σφίσι τὴν

. γῆν.

53. Oi ἵπποι. οἱ ποτάμιοι τοῦ Νείλου μέν εἰσι
τρόφιμοι: ὅταν δὲ τὰ λήια ἐνακμάζῃ καὶ ὦσιν ot
στάχυες ξανθοί, οὐκ ἄρχονται παραχρῆμα κείρειν
αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐσθίειν, ἀλλὰ παραμείβοντες ἔξωθεν
τὸ λήιον “στοχάζονται πόσον αὐτοὺς ἐμπλήσει ὃ
μέτρον, εἶτα λογισάμενοι τὸ ἀποχρῆσον σφίσιν
ἐμπίπτουσι καὶ ἀναχωροῦσιν ἐπὶ πόδα ἐμπιπλάμε-
νοι, τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῦ ποταμοῦ κατὰ νώτου λαβόντες.
πεφιλοσόφηται δὲ ἄρα τοῦτο αὐτοῖς, ἵνα εἴ τινες
τῶν γεωργῶν ἐπίοιεν ἀμυνούμενοι,δ οἱ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ
ῥάστου ἐς τὸ ὕδωρ καταδραμεῖν ἔχοιεν, τοὺς
πολεμίους ἀντιπροσώπους, ἀλλὰ οὐκ ὄπισθεν οἱ
ἵπποι οὗτοι δοκεύοντες.

ΠῚ 1 Lacuna: ζὑποδρομάςΣ conj. Η.

Bicansssonnyusinniys ctu "
ως Fn SEALS SSS TSS SS TS or eae a

3 ~ Ἁ

! ἀναπλεῖν," πρὸ τριάκοντά που.
“- 3

ἡμερῶν αἱ προειρημέναι ἀσπίδες μετοικίζονται ἐς.

HO PET SE SUIS

ὡς

τ EIN SILESIA RPE SEE

ETERS ERO OES SUS EGU RE

ΕΣ ΣΟ ΖΣΩΜΣΣΖΣΣΣΩΣ ζ ς,

ON ANIMALS, V. 52-53

as attached to them as human beings are to their
own homes. But when in the summertime the river
threatens to overflow, the aforesaid Asps emigrate
some thirty days beforehand to districts further
away from the Nile and creep into bluffs above the

‘yiver, and, what is more, bring their young with

them: they have received from Nature this special
gift of being able to foretell the annual visitation of
a river so mighty and so active, and to guard against
being overtaken and destroyed by it. And at the
same season turtles and.crabs and crocodiles transfer
their eggs to spots which the river cannot touch or
reach. Hence those who come across the eggs of
the aforesaid creatures calculate to what extent the
Nile will rise and irrigate their land.

53. Hippopotamuses are nurslings of the Nile, and The Hippo-

when the crops are ripe and the ears are yellow they
do not forthwith begin to graze and eat them but pass
along outside the crop and calculate what area will
satisfy them; and then, having reckoned how much
will be enough, they fall to, and as they fill them-
selves they withdraw backwards, keeping the river
behind them. Now this move they have cleverly
devised so that, should any farmers attack them in
self-defence, they can run down into the water with
complete ease, on the look out for enemies in front
of them but not looking behind them. |
ee

2 Anon.: τὴν ὦ. θερείαν A, τῶν θείων other MSS.

3 ἀναπλεῖν, ἀναχθεῖσαι καὶ ὠθούμεναι ὑπό τε πλήθους ὕδατος
καὶ τῶν ἐτησίων ἀνέμων. |
4 Reiske: εἶτα ἀρδεύσει.

5 ἐμπλήσειε.

8 ἀμυνόμενοι.

7 Ges: δοκοῦντες.

353

ποτ ον το σοσοτ DNA RR SN POA LYONS al sed

AELIAN

τι :
54. Ev τῇ Μαυρουσίᾳ γῇ at παρδάλεις τοῖς
πιθήκοις. οὐ κατὰ τὸ καρτερὸν οὐδὲ ὅπως ἂν
ἐχωσιν ἀλκῆς τε καὶ ῥώμης ἐπιτίθενται. τὸ δὲ
αἴτιον, οὐ χωροῦσιν ὁμόσε, ἀλλὰ ἀποδιδράσκουσὶιν
αὐτὰς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ δένδρα ἀναθέουσι καὶ ἐκεῖ
κάθηνται, τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνων ἐπιβουλὴν φυλαττόμενοι.
ἦν δὲ ἄρα ἡ πάρδαλις καὶ τοῦ πιθήκου δολερώτε-
ρον. olas γοῦν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς παλαμᾶταί τε καὶ
βάπτει τὰς πάγας. ὅπου πλῆθος πιθήκων κάθην-
ται, ἐνταῦθα ἐλθοῦσα ἑαυτὴν ὑπέρριψε τῷ δένδρῳ,
καὶ κεῖται κατὰ τοῦ δαπέδου ὑπτία, καὶ τὴν μὲν
γαστέρα διώγκωσε, παρῆκε δὲ τὰ σκέλη, τὼ δὲ
ὀφθαλμὼ κατέμυσε, πιέζει γε μὴν 3 τὸ ἄσθμα,
καὶ κεῖται νεκρὰ δή. οἱ δὲ ἄνωθεν τὴν ἐχθίστην
ἰδόντες τεθνάναι νομίζουσιν αὐτήν, καὶ ὃ μάλιστα
βούλονται, τοῦτο καὶ οἴονται. οὐ μὴν θαρροῦσιν
ἤδη, ἀλλὰ πεῖραν καθιᾶσι, καὶ ἔστιν ἡ πεῖρα, ἕνα
ἑαυτῶν τὸν δοκοῦντα... ἀδεέστατον 8 καταπέμ-
ποῦσι, βασανίσοντα καὶ κατασκεψόμενον τὸ τῆς
παρδάλεως πάθος. ὁ δὲ κάτεισιν οὐ παντελῶς
ἀδεής, ἀλλὰ ὀλίγον καταδραμὼν εἶτα ὑπέστρεψεν,
τοῦ φόβου ἀναστείλαντος αὐτόν: Kal κατῆλθε
πάλιν, καὶ πλησίον γενόμενος ἀνεχώρησε, καὶ
ὑπέστρεψεν αὖθις, καὶ τὼ ὀφθαλμὼ κατεσκέψατο,
καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα * «εἰ μεθίησιν ἐξήτασεν. ἡ δὲ
ἀτρεμοῦσα καὶ μάλα ἐγκρατῶς ἐντίθησίν οἱ τὸ
κατὰ μικρὰ ἀδεές. προσελθόντος δὲ καὶ παραμέ-
νοντος ἀπαθοῦς καὶ οἱ μετέωροι πίθηκοι θαρροῦσιν
ἤδη, καὶ καταδραμόντες ἔκ τε ἐκείνου τοῦ δένδρου
καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα πλησίον παραπέφυκεν, ἀθρόοι
* οὕτως ἐπιτίθενται.

a + .
τ 5, 2. μὴν καὶ συνέχει.
ἀδεέστερον. : '

354

&
é
ay
ἕ

ON ANIMALS, V. 54

54. In Mauretania Leopards do not attack Mon- Leopard and
onkeys

keys with force nor with all the strength and. power
at their command, the reason being that the Monkeys
do not face them but escape from them and run up
trees and sit there on guard against the designs of
the Leopards. Yet it seems that after all the Leo-
pard is craftier than the Monkey, for such -designs

and traps does it contrive for the Monkeys. It comes
‘to the place where a gathering of Monkeys is seated,

throws itself down beneath a tree, lies on the ground

on its back, inflates its belly, relaxes its legs, closes

both eyes, and even holds its breath, and lies there
like one dead. And the Monkeys looking down upon
their most hated enemy, fancy it to be dead; and
what they most fervently desire, that they believe.
For all that, they do not as yet take courage but make
an experiment, and the experiment is this: they send
down one of their number whom they regard as the
most fearless to test and to scrutinise the state of the
Leopard. So the Monkey descends not altogether
unafraid; but after running down a little way he
turns back, fear causing him to retreat. Anda second
time he descends and having approached, withdraws ;
‘and a third time he returns and observes the Leo-
pard’s eyes and examines it to see if it is breathing.
But the Leopard, by remaining motionless with the
utmost self-control, inspires a gradual fearlessness in
the Monkey. And since it approaches and remains
close by and takes no harm, the Monkeys up aloft also
now gather courage and run down from that particu-
lar tree and from all others that grow near by, and
assembling in a mass encircle the Leopard and dance

4 ὶ - 2 4 1 8
. πνευμα TE καὶ TO αἀσύῦμα.

355

ὡς, δο

AELIAN

7 7 ,ὔ 4
γενόμενοι περιέρχονταί τε Kal περιχορεύουσιν
> 4 εν > 7 ~
αὐτήν. εἶτα ἐμπηδήσαντες αὐτῇ καὶ ἐπιβάντες
f ‘ 4 ;
κατεκυβίστησαν καὶ κατωρχήσαντο κέρτομόν τινα
: , 3

‘ 7 “ j :
Kat “πιθήκοις πρέπουσαν ὄρχησιν, Kat ποικίλως.

ἐνυβρίσαντες, ἣν ἔχουσιν ὡς ἐπὶ νεκρᾷ χαρὰν καὶ
ἡδονὴν ἐμαρτύραντο. ἡ δὲ ὑπέμεινε πάντα, εἶτα
ὅταν ἐννοήσῃ κεκμηκέναι ὑπό τε τῆς χορείας
αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς ὕβρεως, ἀδοκήτως ἀναπηδήσασα
καὶ ἐσθοροῦσα 3 τοὺς μὲν τοῖς ὄνυξι διέξηνε, τοὺς
δὲ τοῖς ὀδοῦσι διεσπάσατο, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν
πολεμίων πανθοινίαν τε καὶ πανδαισίαν ἀφθο-
νώτατα ἔχει. τλημόνως δὲ ἔχειν ὃ καὶ καρτερῶς
καὶ γεννικῶς ἡ φύσις κελεύει τὴν πάρδαλιν
ὑπὲρ τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων ἐνυβρισάντων περιγενέσθαι
καρτερικώτατα ἐναθλοῦσαν καὶ μὴ δεομένην εἰπεῖν
τέτλαθι δὴ κραδίη. ὅ γε μὴν τοῦ Λαέρτου ἑαυτὸν
ἐξεκάλυψεν ὀλίγου πρὸ τοῦ καιροῦ, τὴν ἐκ τῶν
παιδισκῶν ὕβριν μὴ φέρων.

55. ᾽ν τοῖς ᾿Ινδοῖς ot ἐλέφαντες, ὅταν τι τῶν
δένδρων αὐτόρριζον ἀναγκάζωσιν αὐτοὺς ot ᾿Ινδοὶ
ἐκσπάσαι, οὐ πρότερον ἐμπήδῶσιν ® οὐδὲ ἐπιχει-
ροῦσι τῷ ἔργῳ πρὶν ἢ διασεῖσαι αὐτὸ καὶ διασκέ-
ψασθαι dpd γεῦ ἀνατραπῆναι οἷόν τέ ἐστιν 7
παντελῶς ἀδύνατον.

€¢ > ᾿
56. Αἱ ἐν Σύροις ἔλαφοι γίνονται μὲν ἐν ὄρεσι
/ 3 “ς
μεγίστοις, ᾿Αμανῷ τε καὶ Λιβάνῳ καὶ Καρμήλῳ:
7] \ a :
ὅταν δὲ βουληθῶσι περαιώσασθαι τὴν θάλατταν,
> ἃ 4 9.2 > -. :
ἐπὶ τὰς Novas ἀφικνοῦνται ἡ ἀγέλη, καὶ ἀναμέ-
2 ἐκθοροῦσα.

1 Ges: ὀρχηστικήν.
”
ἔχει. 4 κατέχει.

356

DORM

bis

TEE
ΤΩΣ

aM PRISED SEE

ἢ

ON ANIMALS, V. 54-56

round it. Then they leap upon it and turn somer-
saults on its body and by dancing in triumph a dance
appropriate to monkeys, and by a variety of insults
testify to the joy and delight they feel over the sup-

posed corpse. But the Leopard submits to all this

until it realises that the Monkeys are tired by their
dancing and their insolence, when it leaps up un-
expectedly and springs at them. And some it
lacerates with its claws, others it tears to pieces with
its teeth, and enjoys without stint the ample and

sumptuous banquet provided by its enemies. It is

Nature that bids the Leopard endure with heroic
fortitude, so that it may rise superior to the insults
of its enemies, bearing up with the utmost patience
and finding no need to say ‘endure, my heart’
(Hom. Od. 20. 18].. Indeed the son of Laertes was
within an ace of revealing himself prematurely
through being unable to tolerate the insults of the
maidservants.

55. In India Elephants, when compelled by the Saat

natives to pull up some tree, roots and all, do not
immediately attack it and begin the task, until they
have shaken it and have tested it thoroughly to see
whether in fact it can be overturned, or whether that
is utterly impossible.

56. The Deer of Syria are born on the highest Deer cross-

ing the sea

mountains, on Amanus, on Libanus, and on Carmel.
And when they want to cross the sea the herd goes
down to the beaches and waits until the wind drops;

δ Jac: ἐκ-.
δ Ν Hw > Ν
εἴ ye apa ΟΥ̓ εἰ apa γε.

351.

AELIAN

vovot τοῦ πνεύματος THY P0iow,* Kai ἡνίκα ἂν
αἴσθωνται πρᾶον αὐτὸ καὶ ἥσυχον καταπνέον
τηνικαῦτα ἐπιθαρροῦσι τῷ πελάγει. νέουσι δὲ
κατὰ στοῖχον, καὶ ἀλλήλων ἔχονται, τὰ γένεια at
ἑπόμεναι τῶν προηγουμένων τῇ ὀσφύι ἐπερείδου-
σαι" ἡ .. ἢ τελευταία δὲ γενομένη τῇ πρόσθεν
ἐπὶ πάσαις ἑαυτὴν ἐπαναπαύσασα εἶτα οὐραγεῖ
στέλλονται δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Κύπρον πόθῳ τῆ a
τέλλονται oe υ τῆς πόας
τῆς ἐκεῖ: λέγεται γὰρ εἶναι βαθεῖα καὶ νομὰς

3 4 4 3 4 4 ?
ἀγαθὰς παρέχειν. καὶ λέγουσί ye Κύπριοι εὔγεων
?

> a a A “a
οἰκεῖν χῶρον, καὶ ταῖς Αἰγυπτίων ἀρούραις
τολμῶσιν ἀντικρίνειν τὰς σφετέρας. ἔλαφοι δὲ

4 ~
- ἕτεραι τήνδε τὴν νῆξιν ἀποδείκνυνται. at γοῦν
7
πειρώτιδες ἐς τὴν Κέρκυραν διανήχονται, ἀντί-

πορθμοὸι δὲ ἀλλήλαις αἵδε εἰσίν.

1 φύσιν. 7 |

5. Lacuna: ἡ {δὲ ἡ , , “ ΄

: γουμένη πρόσθεν, ὅταν κάμῃ, τελευταί

Ji a0, comp. Opp. Cyn. 2. 225, Max. Tyr. 12. 3. ὧ ‘ ὦ

ἔχειν.

Ἢ
ἘΞ
rg
Ἢ
τὰς
aS
SS
a
Pa
ΩΝ

ON ANIMALS, V. 56.

and as soon as they observe that there is a favourable
and gentle breeze, then they brave the opensea. And
they swim in single file, holding on to one another,
the ones behind supporting their chins on the rumps
of those in front . . .* takes the last place in the
line, and resting itself upon the one next in front
of it in the whole troop, brings up the rear. And
they make for Cyprus in their longing for the mea-
dows there, for they are said to be deep and to afford
excellent pasture. The Cypriots indeed claim that
they live in a fertile country, and venture to compare
their arable land with that of Egypt. And there
are Deer from other countries too which show this

same capacity for swimming. For example, the Deer |

of Epirus swim across to Corcyra: the two countries
face each other across a strait. ᾿

α Some words have been lost; following Jacobs's suggested.
filling of-the lacuna we may translate : “When the one that
has been leading hitherto begins to tire, it drops back to the
end of the file, and, efc.’

358 ΕΣ | | : 359

pppelivmeseniatimamrnssite erin Mar E

σφ στο ay

fa mT a

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